Minato's One and Only Wife
by lord of the land of fire
Summary: Minato's ordinary life changes forever when he meets a sekirei and is drawn into the struggle that is the Sekirei Plan. To say nothing of the challenges of being with the lovely and angry Tsukiumi, Minato's one and only wife.
1. The Proposal

"I'm sorry mom, I failed this year too," he said glumly. He listened to his mother's reply. "I don't know what I'm going to do. Give me a few days to think about it." He paused. "Okay, bye mom."

He clicked off his phone and let out a melancholy sigh. With his shoulders slumped he left the posting board. The shouts of joy from the successful applicants were really starting to depress him.

_So what do I do now? _He wondered as he slowly made his way back to his apartment. _Do I go home and try something else or do I stay here in Tokyo and give it one more go? _Back in High School he'd been a top student and seemed destined for great things. But two years later he was a two time ronnin, he had twice failed the entrance exams for Tokyo U. With the allowance his mother sent him he was struggling to get by. For the last two years his life had revolved around cram school and the desperate effort to make it into the school of his dreams. His studying had left him no time for anything else. He had no friends, no girlfriend, and no life outside the cram school. And what had all his slavish effort accomplished? He was no closer to getting accepted than he had been when he first arrived.

"Maybe mom is right," he muttered. "Maybe it's time to just give up."

"Hey move it!" An angry woman shouted.

Minato just had time enough to turn around to spot the incredible sight of two women running at him in matching leather S&M gear. Running past he was knocked down by the one in the violet outfit without seeming to even be noticed.

"Gomen!" The second girl, the one in the pink leather, shouted to him from over her shoulder. She then turned to the other girl. "Why did we attack a single number?! We're going to get killed!"

"I didn't know she was number nine! I just thought she was another unwinged one!"

Minato watched blankly as they vanished around a corner. _What was that about? _He got back up to his feet.

"Look out!" A woman screamed.

He looked around but couldn't spot who was shouting at him. He then noticed a shadow falling on him and looked up.

Right into a pair of white panties.

Oooomph!

Once again Minato found himself lying on the sidewalk. He was momentarily dazed by the impact. As he regained his senses he realized there was a heavy weight on top of him. He also realized he was looking up into those same white panties that were only a couple inches from his nose.

"Uh, ex… excuse me?"

The woman who was on top of him quickly got to her feet and began looking around the now empty street. "Where did those two go?" She demanded. She then focused her attention on him glaring angrily. "Why didn't you get out of my way?"

Minato was dumb struck as he sat there on the cold ground looking up at her. Even with the anger in her face she was easily the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. She could be a model or an actress. She had on high leather boots, black leggings that went about halfway up her thigh, a small white dress that barely went below her nether regions and revealed a lot of her ample bosom, and a long black cape that included long sleeves and a collar. She had long blonde hair draped down well past her shoulders and the clearest blue eyes. She was an absolutely stunning woman. Being captivated by her beauty he failed to notice as her features darkened.

"Hey! What the hell are you staring at you damn monkey?" She grabbed him by the collar and yanked him up off the ground with just one hand. She brought his face up close to hers. "What's the big idea staring at me, huh? Have you got something to say monkey?"

"I'm… I'm… sorry for staring, it's just that you're…" he hesitated to continue.

"I'm what?" She growled.

He swallowed. "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

In that instant Tsukiumi felt a flash of intense heat consume her entire body. Her heart began to pound and a momentary weakness she had never felt before struck. She let go of him and stumbled back a couple steps as though he had physically hit her. "Wha… what?" She clutched a hand over her chest. _What is this feeling?_

Seeing her face turn red and begin to shake Minato took a step towards her. "Are you all right?"

As he got closer she felt the heat in her body rise. Her eyes widened and she let out a gasp as she realized what it had to be. Her body was reacting to him! That could only mean he was…

"You bastard," she growled and drew herself up to her full height ignoring her body's momentary weakness. "You're him, my ashikabi; you've come here to take my body!"

"What?" In the next instant Minato was somehow drenched. Even though it was a clear day a deluge hit him and only him leaving him completely soaked. And before he could even react she had grabbed him again by the collar and begun violently shaking him back and forth.

"You bastard!" She shouted. "I'll never let you take control of my body! I'll kill you first!"

"Wha.. what? Control your body? I would never even think to do something like that!"

"Liar!" She momentarily stopped shaking him and again brought his face towards hers. "That's what all ashikabi do! They take control of a sekirei and use them in whatever sick perverted way they want!"

"Wait! I don't know what an ashikabi is but I swear I would never treat a woman that way! I would always treat a woman with respect and kindness! I would never even think to order you to do things! Not even if you were my wife!"

Her heart began to race even faster and she felt a surge of excitement at hearing that. "You… you…. you bastard!! How dare you!"

"What?" Minato didn't understand how the hell he'd gotten in this situation. Everything he said seemed to make this woman even more angry with him.

"How dare you, a lowly monkey, propose to me!"

"What?! Propose?! But I didn't…" he was cut off she began to shake him violently back and forth again.

"Shameless! Shameless! Shameless! To just say such a thing to a helpless woman like that! Do you think I would ever agree to such a thing?!"

"But, but I didn't…"

She brought him to a sudden stop. Still holding him with one hand Minato saw a ball of water appear above the palm of the other as if by magic. "I know what I have to do now; I'm going to have to kill you to protect myself."

"Kill me?" He gasped. _Is she serious? What the hell is going on here?_ "Wait! I think there's been some kind of misunderstanding here."

"Now, now Tsukiumi, don't you think you're going a little overboard?"

Tsukiumi looked up to see a masked figure decked in black sitting on a roof edge above her.

"We're not supposed to involve civilians remember?" Homura reminded her.

"This is different! This bastard is the one who wants to shamelessly ravish my body!"

Homura lifted one very interested eyebrow. "Really? So you finally found your ashikabi? Congratulations!"

"This isn't something to be happy about! He just wants to take control of me and then have his way with me whenever he wants!"

"Kind of sounds like fun doesn't it?" He teased.

Her face turned a very deep red as she sputtered trying to answer that.

"Uh, excuse me?" Minato spoke up carefully. He was still being held by an irate Tsukiumi. "I really don't understand what's going on here, but I swear I don't have any intention of taking advantage of her. Can I please just go?"

"Absolutely not," Tsukiumi snapped. "If I do that you'll just attack me later!"

"And how exactly is he supposed to do that?" Homura asked curiously. "You could probably snap him in half with one arm." He looked over at Minato. "If she lets you go do you promise to never try and have your way with her?"

"Yes! I swear it!"

Homura sent her a questioning look.

"All right fine," she at last let go of him. "I had better never see you again!"

Drenched and shaken he stumbled back. Before leaving though he gave her a very deep bow. "Even though I don't know what happened, if I did anything to offend you I sincerely apologize for it!" He then turned and ran away as fast as he could.

Homura noted the way Tsukiumi's eyes never left him as he fled. Even after he was gone from sight she remained rooted to the spot staring in the direction he had left.

"You know," Homura said casually. "I don't blame you for not wanting anything to do with him. I mean that guy is pretty homely."

"What?" She snapped angrily. "He is not! He is very handsome!"

Homura didn't say another word. He just looked at her as she slowly blushed again.

"Idiot!" She shouted and leapt away. Whether she was referring to her rival or herself she didn't know.


	2. Now and Forever

"All right, you can knock off now."

Minato nodded appreciatively to the foreman and headed to the tool shed to turn in his shovel. It had been a week since he'd failed the exams for a second time. He had decided to go ahead and stay in Tokyo and try yet again. When he'd called his mom to relate the news she'd informed him that if he wanted to stay she would be cutting his allowance in half. That meant if he wanted to make ends meet even in his meager lifestyle he would have to find some work. For a change he'd actually had some good luck and found this construction job that he could work part time around his studies. The job was temporary, but good enough for the next few months.

"Hey, see you later kid," a coworker called and with a friendly wave.

"See you tomorrow Seo-san," Minato called back. Seo was an older and more laid back person. Minato liked him largely because unlike himself Seo never seemed too worried about anything.

With work over Minato headed for the nearest metro station to head back to his apartment.

As he did so he had no idea he was being watched.

XXXXXXXXXX

From a nearby rooftop Tsukiumi saw him leaving his work. She had been following him all day from the time he left his apartment this morning. She had trailed him as he went to the cram school this morning and then hurried off to a few hours of manual labor. _I wonder if he'll be working again tomorrow, _she thought. _I like seeing him work up a sweat. _

"Just what are you up to?" A voice whispered in her ear.

"Yah!" She jumped and turned about. A fully formed water blade extended out of her right hand. Homura had leapt back just in time to avoid it.

"Touchy," he noted.

"Homura! Have you come here to have a match?" She demanded.

"Nothing like that," he said putting his hands up. "Though you should be a little more careful, if I were wanting to fight I could have shoved you off the roof without you even noticing. What's going on with you? You're not usually so oblivious."

"Nothing's going on," she said a bit too defensively.

"Oh really?" He said and sauntered over to the roof's edge to peer down. "Heh, is that your ashikabi down there?"

"What if it is?" She demanded and crossed her arms.

"Have you talked to him?"

"Of course not! Why on earth would I want to talk to a monkey like him?"

"Well then why are you following him?"

"Be… because I, ah, I want to make sure he's no threat to me!"

"I see," Homura dead panned. "Well maybe I should go down there and have a word with him, find out what his intentions are." He made as if to leap down.

He was not surprised when she grabbed his arm.

"Don't you dare!"

"Oh? And why not?"

"You might scare him off!"

"Would that be a bad thing? You don't want anything to do with him right? I mean he's just a worthless monkey."

"Hey!" Tsukiumi shouted furiously. "Don't call him that!"

"Didn't _you_ just call him that a minute ago?"

She grumbled a bit but didn't actually have an answer.

"You should stop wasting time and just make him your ashikabi already."

"Never! I'll never let anyone take control of me! If you think it's so wonderful why haven't you gotten winged yet?"

He shrugged. "I've been looking. I've met plenty of women and even kissed a number of them. But so far no luck." He looked away unhappily. "It's possible given the… unusual nature of my body there may not be anyone who _can _be my ashikabi."

"Why… why do you want it?" Tsukiumi asked. This was an old disagreement between them, but she had never really asked him his reasons before. "Why would you let someone else control you?"

"Well that's the thing," he replied. "I don't believe I would be. I don't think a sekirei becomes a puppet just by being winged. Rather I think the relationship is really like a marriage, there'll be give and take and maybe one person will be more dominant. But the conditions of the relationship will be worked out by the two. I believe when the bond between ashikabi and sekirei is made that they enter each other's hearts and can develop a closeness unlike any other relationship. That's the reason I want to find my ashikabi, not to become more powerful, but to find someone I can be that intimate and trusting with. I want someone who will enter my heart while I enter theirs."

Tsukiumi listened silently.

"Well, that's what I think anyway. I'll see you later."

After he left she remained there on that roof top silently pondering her rival's words and her own strange feelings.

XXXXXXXXXX

Minato had just taken a warm bath and was dressed in his pajamas. He was about to make some instant noodles for dinner and do a little studying before going to sleep on his futon. The tiny two bedroom apartment was a mess with books and old work papers lying around. _Not that it matters I suppose. It's not likely I'll be inviting any girls here any time soon._

Whenever he thought about the opposite sex lately he always recalled that bizarre incident with that gorgeous and very angry blonde woman. The whole event had seemed like something out of a slightly erotic day dream. Girls in S&M gear running about, a beauty literally falling out of the sky onto him, his body getting drenched somehow, the near throttling at the hands of that beautiful but angry and very strong girl, and being saved by some guy in a ninja mask. Really the only thing missing had been a giant hot dog running after a giant donut. If it hadn't been for the slight bruises as well as the cold he caught from walking home soaked he might have dismissed it as a dream. As it was he just chalked it up to being in Tokyo and let it go. Maybe they had been filming some type of weird reality show.

_Well anyway I'll probably never meet a girl like that again. I wonder if that's a good thing or bad thing. _Despite getting shaken half to death there was just something about that girl he couldn't get out of his mind. It wasn't just that she was beautiful; he had this really weird sense that there was some kind of connection between them.

He shook his head at the thought. _Sure, a woman like that is really going to be interested in a second year ronnin like me who's just scraping by. _

There was a loud knock on his door.

"Coming," he called out. That had to be his landlord. He was the only one who ever came to see him and had got into this annoying habit of checking up on him at random intervals. "What can I do for you landlord?" He asked as he opened the door.

He froze when he saw it wasn't his landlord after all. As if being summoned here by his thoughts the strange blonde was standing there looking back at him.

"Well?" She asked impatiently. "Are you going to invite me in or not?"

He blinked at her, for a second he wondered if he might have fallen asleep during the bath and was having a dream. "Uh, please come in."

With a curt nod she strode into his small apartment. She halted in the middle of the room and stared at the mess that seemed to be everywhere. "This place is a pig sty!" She declared loudly. "No! A pig would be disgusted by this!"

"Ah gomen kudasai," he said as she shut the door and desperately began picking up some of the things on the floor. "I… I wasn't expecting company." _What is she doing here? Why is she acting like this is normal? Who is she?_

She glanced at the kitchenette that was a part of the room and saw a styrofoam cup of instant ramen. She pointed to it angrily. "Is that supposed to be dinner? Don't you know if you don't have a proper nutritious meal your health will suffer?"

He stopped picking things up and just looked at her curiously.

"What?" She snapped. Being this close to him her body was heating up and her heart was fluttering in her chest. And the way he was staring at her was making her feel self conscious.

"I'm very sorry, but… who are you?"

She stared at him a moment. Her mouth thinned a bit and for the very first time Minato saw an expression on her face other than anger. "That's right; we've never actually introduced ourselves have we?" She sounded slightly amused. She stood straight and jerked a thumb towards her chest. "I am Tsukiumi, sekirei number nine, the water sekirei."

Minato nodded politely. "I am very pleased to meet you Tsukiumi-san, I am Sahashi Minato, a uh, second year ronnin trying to enter Tokyo University."

She nodded. "And a part time construction worker."

He stared at her nervously. "How do you know about that?"

"I have been following you for the past week."

"What?" he said shocked.

She frowned at him. "Well what would you expect? After your proposal I had to find out about you didn't I?"

"What proposal?" He saw her go from calm to furious in 1.2 seconds. She grabbed him by the top of his pajamas and brought his face within a couple inches of hers.

"Hey! Don't you dare try and take it back! You said you would never order me around, even if I was your wife! You said that didn't you?"

"Ye… yes, but how is that a proposal?"

She flattened her eyes dangerously. "It was a promise of how you would treat me as a wife, which is the same thing as a proposal."

_It is? _He wondered. He didn't dare say that though, he definitely thought those words in this situation would lead to his immediate death. "I… I… would love to be married to a woman like you."

Minato saw her eyes suddenly widen and her cheeks turn a deep red. She let go of him and turned her eyes down. "You… you would?"

"Of course! You're obviously a really amazing woman! You're beautiful, strong, and have a really fierce will!" Actually those traits summed up his mom pretty well too, which was _not _a good thing. "But obviously a woman like you wouldn't want a guy like me. You could have anyone so I'm sure I'd have no chance with you. If I did I'd consider myself unbelievably lucky."

"I see," she replied. "Is… is that how you really feel?"

"Well of course," Minato said. "If I could I would make you mine and never let you go." She seemed to have calmed down now. With any luck he could talk to her without being shaken again and find out just what was going on here.

_I would make you mine and never let you go. _Those words filled her heart with a sudden immense joy. They made her knees weak and made her heart thrum near to bursting.

"It's… it's strange," she said and looked into his face. Her own face was calm and accepting.

"What is?"

"Up until now my heart has always been filled with rage at the idea of accepting an ashikabi. But now, it's at peace." Her sea deep eyes were staring into his. She placed both hands gently on his cheeks. "I think I must have been looking for you all this time. From now on Minato I am the only one allowed to hurt or kill you."

"Wha… what do you mean?" He could feel his own heart racing. Her touch and the way she was looking at him had him starting to shake.

She slowly leaned in. "I accept your proposal," she whispered. And touched her lips to his, sealing their contract.

Her body was consumed by fire hotter than Homura could ever hope to create. There was a light filling the room as the image of wings appeared and a crest came into being between her shoulders. All her strength seemed to leave her and she leaned against him. She felt his arms take firm hold of her. The way he held her she was sure he would protect her from anything. It felt wonderful to be in those arms.

For Minato the kiss had caught him wholly by surprise. He had never kissed a girl before and hadn't ever thought his very first would be from such a stunning beauty. Her lips were soft and sweet and this case was well worth all the shaking and threats of death. He didn't understand the meaning of the strange light or the wings though.

When the kiss ended she placed her head against his neck and sighed contentedly.

"Tsukiumi–san, what just happened?"

"Just call me Tsukiumi," she told him. "You have become my ashikabi; this is a union between us that shall last now and forever."

He really didn't understand what she was talking about. Ashikabi? Now and forever? But there was one thing he was sure of. "May I kiss you again?"

She smiled. She had such a beautiful smile. "You may kiss me as much as you like."

With her blessing he tentatively leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. Kissing her and holding her close felt amazing. If this really was some sort of dream he hoped he never woke up.

This perfect world lasted for a few precious minutes before it was disturbed by a loud knocking on his door. "Minato! Do you have a woman in there? You had better not or it's a violation of your lease!"

"Oh no!" Minato wailed. "It's my landlord!"

"How rude!" Tsukiumi said irritably. "How dare he disturb us at such a moment!" She stormed over to the door.

"Tsukiumi-san what are you…"

She threw open the door to find a middle aged balding man with a pouch. "Why the hell are you disturbing us at a time like this?!" She shouted into his face.

The man was obviously caught by surprise and took a couple steps down the stairs. "Who are you?" The man gasped out.

"I am Tsukiumi, Minato's one and only wife. Now get out of here and don't disturb us again!"

Minato appeared beside her. "Landlord-sama, let me explain…"

"Be out of here in one week!" The man hurried back down the stairs.

"What a rude little monkey!"

Minato stared at her. "Tsukiumi-san, what was that part about being my wife?"

"What about it?"

"Ah, why did you tell him that you were my wife?"

"Because I am," she said as though it were blatantly obvious. "The moment you became my ashikabi you also became my husband and I became your wife." She slipped an arm around his and pressed her bosom pleasantly against it. "Now and forever."

Yet again he was staring at her uncomprehending. "I still don't know what an ashikabi is, and as for being my wife, doesn't that require a wedding?"

"A normal man and woman might need one, but the bonding between an ashikabi and sekirei is far more sacred and meaningful than any ordinary wedding ceremony could be. In every way that matters I am now your wife and you are now my husband."

He wasn't sure if he should laugh or cry. She really seemed to believe it too. As he tried to contemplate an answer that would not get him throttled the 19 inch TV. in his apartment suddenly switched on. The image of a man in a white suit with shades and wild white hair appeared. "Congratulations on being chosen by a sekirei to join our little game Sahashi-san! I wish you luck in the difficult days ahead."

Minato stared at the face on his TV. "Are you talking to me?"

"Who else?" The face answered with a raucous laugh.

"Hello Director," Tsukiumi greeted.

"Ah, number nine, you have no idea how surprised I was to find out you had just been winged. Given your attitudes I had expected you to be among the very last."

"A woman is allowed to change her mind," she huffed.

"Excuse me," Minato called out. "But who are you, and what is going on here?"

"What? You don't know who I am? Try reading a news paper once in awhile Sahashi-san! Ignorance is nothing to be proud of."

"He is Hiroto Minaka Chairman of M.I.B. and the Director of the Sekirei Plan." Tsukiumi told him.

"Wait! You're in charge of M.I.B. the multinational corporation that owns most of Tokyo?"

"Correct," the man on the screen said happily. "Now as you can imagine my time is precious so please listen carefully to what I have to tell you. Sekirei Plan is the name of the game you are now participating in. The rules are simple, there are one hundred and eight freed sekirei. They will fight each other until there is only one left standing. That last sekirei and ashikabi shall be permitted to 'ascend' and hold the world's fate in their hands." The man smiled a bit maniacally. "Pretty cool huh? All this fate stuff?"

Minato looked at Minaka and back to Tsukiumi. _Is it me or is everyone I meet lately a little insane?_

"Now in addition to this, as a member of the Sekirei Plan you have a responsibility not only to participate but to keep it a secret. Should you reveal this information I will use all the resources of M.B.I. to punish you. Is that clear?"

Minato gulped. M.B.I. was a multinational corporation worth hundreds of billions. It owned most of the city of Tokyo and even had its very own private army equipped with the latest technology. He didn't even want to think what it would be like to have them for an enemy. "Completely clear Minaka-san."

"Good, well I have things to do so I leave you both to it." The TV. screen went to black.

"Great," Minato said wearily. "Now not only do I have to find a new apartment I have to deal with this."

"What are you worried about Minato? As long as I am here you have nothing to fear! Now get dressed."

"Huh? Get dressed? Why?"

She frowned at him. "Do you seriously think I am going to spend my wedding night in this pig sty? We will go have dinner and then spend the night in a hotel suite."

"Wait, we're… we're spending the night together?" On their own his eyes dropped to stare at her huge breasts.

"Well obviously," she said. "Where else would a husband and wife spend it but with each other?"

_Oh wow, she really does think that we're married. _"I'm sorry but money's tight right now. I can't afford to take you out to any place fancy to eat, and I definitely can't afford a hotel room."

"You don't need to worry about money." She produced a shiny black credit card. "I have an M.B.I. V.I.P. card with an unlimited balance. You can have whatever you like from here on."

His eyes glittered as he looked at the legendary card. "I… I'm afraid I can't accept."

"And why not?"

"'Take care of your own business by any means.' That is what my mother taught me and that's what I believe in. A man has to be able to take care of himself without asking for help from others."

"I am not, 'others' I am your wife," she told him. "A husband and wife are supposed to take care of each other, right?"

"Well naturally, but…"

"No buts!" She cut him off sharply. "As your wife it is my responsibility to see that you lead a healthy and safe lifestyle." She pointedly looked around the room. "You _obviously _can't do this on your own. There is nothing wrong in letting your wife help you when you need it. Now get dressed I'm hungry and want to go eat."

Minato wound up going into his small bathroom and changing his clothes wondering how exactly his life had gotten so completely turned around in under half an hour.

XXXXXXXXXX

A credit card with an unlimited balance was more than just a credit card. It was a magical key that could defeat almost any lock. With just a few phone calls they had a limo bring them to a five star restaurant where they were seated without reservations and without waiting. Tsukiumi was able to reserve the Honeymoon suite at Tokyo's luxurious Sakura Grand Inn.

And so it was that Minato finally found himself lying in a large king bed in one of the most expensive rooms in Tokyo. As he was lying there the door to the private bath opened and Tsukiumi stepped out. She was wearing nothing but a sheer black teddy that strained to cover her breasts. Looking at her body Minato's jaw hung open.

"Don't stare, it's embarrassing." For someone who liked to wear an outfit that left her panties one good breeze from total exposure she could be oddly modest at times. She _ran _over to the bed and quickly got underneath the sheets to join Minato.

Both their bodies were now hidden beneath the bed sheets. They were both nervously facing each other. For once Tsukiumi lacked her usual determination.

"Minato-kun," she said gently. "This is our wedding night; don't you want to embrace me?"

Beneath the covers he felt her hand carefully take a hold of his and place it on top of one of her breasts. On instinct he gave a gentle squeeze. Tsukiumi let out soft moan. Minato felt his body harden and his heart pound. In his whole life he could not remember ever being this excited.

"Tsukiumi-san," he whispered. "I'm… I'm a virgin, so I, ah, may not know what I'm doing." He needed her to know that in case he did something he shouldn't.

Far from upsetting her his words brought a smile to her lips and appeared to relax her. "I'm a virgin too Minato, so we will just figure it out together. I know you promised you would never give me orders, but in this one place, our marriage bed, I'll let you."

"What?" He asked though dry lips.

"You can take charge and do whatever you like Minato-kun," she whispered in a soft submissive voice. "I… I want you to be the one in control."

_She's such a contradiction, _he thought. She was aggressive and tough most of the time, yet here seemed totally unwilling to take the initiative. She was hard to understand, difficult to deal with, and more than a little scary at times. But at this moment she seemed totally innocent and vulnerable, he was consumed by the urge to take care of her and protect her. He gave her breast another little squeeze that earned him another, slightly deeper moan from her. He leaned across the bed and eagerly kissed her. The feel of her lips responding to his sent a happy shiver through his body.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her body beneath his. She moved unresistingly as he placed himself on top and felt her soft warm flesh pressed down beneath his.

"I love you," he said and truly meant it. Even if all of this was insane and made no sense he loved this woman with his entire heart.

"I love you too," she responded without hesitation.

He kissed her again and slowly removed her silk teddy.

Together they made love and celebrated their new bonds as ashikabi and sekirei and husband and wife.


	3. An Unexpected Visitor

The morning sun was just beginning to light the room. Lying beside him Tsukiumi was wide awake staring at Minato's sleeping face. He looked so peaceful. One finger gently brushed his lips. His kisses. Every time he kissed her, every single time, her body would fill with energy and heat and her heart would race. That was when the connection between them was the strongest, when she could sense his heart. In those moments her whole being just seemed to melt into him.

Homura had been right, this connection, this bond they shared now. It was like nothing else, she really did feel like a part of him. He filled an empty place inside her she had never even known had been there. Just being with him made her happy.

Her hand slowly caressed his face. _I love you so much Minato. The thought of ever losing you scares me more than death. _She had always wanted to be the strongest. Originally it had been because of her pride and her desire to prove a sekirei did not need an ashikabi to be strong. Now though she aimed to be the strongest to make sure they were never separated. She wanted to stay by Minato's side forever.

As she watched his eyes slowly opened.

"Ah, good morning," he said.

"Good morning."

Hesitantly he leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

And as always her body was filled with that wondrous heat and energy, her heart thrummed. _Minato, I will always love you and protect you._

XXXXXXXXXX

Following a delicious breakfast they headed down to the hotel lobby. Tsukiumi was back to her usual charming personality. "Minato, go back to that pig sty you call home and pack your things. Since we cannot stay permanently in a hotel I will find us somewhere to live. Here," she handed him a thick wad of cash. "Use this to pay for a cab and anything else you may need."

Minato's eyes bulged as he saw the bills were all 10,000 yen notes. She was just casually giving him more money than he had ever seen in one amount before. "Tsukiumi-san where did this come from?"

Tsukiumi frowned. "The front desk was nice enough to provide a cash advance against my V.I.P. card. Is it not enough? They tell me they can advance me up to two million yen, I only took out half that."

He gawked at her and then at the money he was holding. "Are you saying you just gave me a million yen?!"

"Is that a lot?" She asked. "You seem rather excited about it."

"Well of course it's a lot! Don't you know how much a million yen is worth?"

"Not really," she said dismissively. "Up until now I have just been living at hotels and paying for everything with my card. I don't bother to ask about prices. But since I am now a married woman I want to settle down with my husband in a proper house."

Taking a deep sigh he held the money back out to her. "I can't accept this."

She gave him an annoyed look. "Are you going to tell me about how you can't ask others for help again?"

"Well…"

She reached out and carefully wrapped his fingers around the money. "A wife's proper duty is to take care of her husband! As both my husband and as my ashikabi I will always take care of you Minato! You do not need to feel embarrassed by accepting my help!" Apparently convinced the discussion was settled she turned and began striding out of the hotel lobby. "Have everything packed and ready to move by 5, I will have a new home ready for us by then."

"It's hard to find good places in Tokyo, you might need more than one day." He called after her.

Looking back over her shoulder she flashed him a smile. "Have faith in me Minato! I will definitely have a place for us ready by five o'clock!"

XXXXXXXXXX

Packing up and cleaning really didn't take that long as he didn't have that much stuff. He had decided to skip cram school and call into work. He didn't know what sort of new place Tsukiumi could possibly find for them so quickly.

At a quarter to five a moving van pulled up to his apartment complex and there was a knock on his door.

"Is everything packed Minato?"

"Uh, yeah, did you really find us a place?"

"Of course! Did you have a doubt that I would?"

"Ah, well, no."

She slipped an arm around his back and pulled him close to her. "The moving company can bring your things. I want to show you our new home myself." Without any sort of warning she leaped into the air.

"Yaaaaaah!" Minato screamed in terror.

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?! We're flying through the air!"

"This is how sekirei normally travel when we are in a hurry. You need to get used to it."

"We went by limo yesterday!"

"I thought that would be more convenient since we weren't in a hurry. But this way is much faster." She thought nothing of jumping over streets hundreds of feet below as she leapt from roof top to roof top.

She took them into the northern part of the city and into a historic district where the buildings were all older and sparser. She eventually leapt over an eight foot wall and into a wide yard with trees, bushes, and a pond with some ducks floating on it.

"Here we are," Tsukiumi announced. "Our new home."

Minato stared.

Over the pond was an old wooden bridge that led to a walkway that led to some steps that led to a two story building made of grey stone with wide curving roofs made of red tiles. Judging just by the number of windows he had to guess there were at least fifty rooms.

"You… you actually bought a _palace_?"

Tsukiumi frowned. "No, this is only a castle. Did you want a palace?"

"How much did this cost you?"

"Four hundred million yen," she replied.

He just stared at her unable to form any words.

"Is that a lot?"

It was just too much and he passed out there and then.

XXXXXXXXXX

When he came to he was lying on a large sofa in a room with oak paneling and very old looking furnishings. Tsukiumi was sitting at his side.

"Are you all right Minato?"

"Heh, fine, sorry about that. I guess I was just a little but shocked that you would spend that kind of money on a place for just the two of us."

She shrugged. "Money doesn't matter to me."

_Obviously, _Minato thought.

"I saw this place was available for sale and I liked it. In any case as both my husband and as my ashikabi you should get used to living a better lifestyle. Living here will be a part of that."

"Oh, that reminds me," he sat up. "Tsukiumi there's something I want to ask you about."

"What is it?"

"Well, I know that I'm your ashikabi, but what exactly is an ashikabi? I mean what am I supposed to do?"

"Hmmm, I'm afraid I can't really explain what an ashikabi is. My adjuster at M.B.I. was a bit scatterbrained and never really explained much."

"Wait, what's an adjuster?"

"As each sekirei matured and came of age we received genetic adjustments to enhance our abilities and prepare us for the Sekirei Plan."

Minato shook his head. "Came of age, genetic adjustments, I don't understand."

Holding out her open hand she created a ball of water. "I am sekirei number 9, also known as the water sekirei. I have the ability to draw water and shape it to my will. There are a total of 108 different sekirei, each with their own abilities. We were discovered on an alien ship that crash landed on an uncharted island. The ship was discovered by Manaka and so we became property of the M.B.I. and have spent our lives being prepared for the Sekirei Plan."

"Wait! You're saying you're an _alien_?"

She nodded. "That's right. My DNA is similar to a human's but there are several key differences. For one I am far stronger and physically sturdier than a human. Also I, and all other sekirei, was born with the potential for extraordinary abilities no human would ever have."

"So… so you really aren't human?"

She flinched a bit nervously. Reaching out she took his hand and placed it against her ample chest. "Can you feel my heart beating?"

He swallowed. "Ye… yeah."

"There are differences, but in all the ways that matter I am a woman like any other. My genetic code is 99% identical to a human's. I may not be exactly the same but I can feel everything you can Minato-kun. I can feel fear and loneliness and anger and sadness and… and I can most definitely feel love. Is… is that not enough? Do you… not want me?" She spoke in a small voice so different from her normal tone.

Hearing the fear in her voice Minato placed his other hand on her cheek. "I will always want you Tsukiumi-san; after all, you are my wife right?"

She nodded. "Yes I am."

He leaned in. "I love you." He kissed her.

She fervently kissed him back. "I love you!"

He pulled her onto the sofa and began peeling off her clothes. As they made love Minato forgot about the other questions he'd meant to ask. Tsukiumi lost her fears and rejoiced in her husband's loving embrace.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Why are you still going to that cram school? And why are you still working?" Tsukiumi demanded.

"Well, even though I'm married I still want to go to university and try and do something with my life."

"If you want to go to that university I'll simply pay for it," Tsukiumi said.

"It doesn't work that way Tsukiumi," he told her. "You have to _earn _your place by passing an entrance exam. That's one of the things that make it so worthwhile."

"Well then why are you bothering to work? You don't need to earn money; I will give you as much as you want."

He had already agreed to accept money from her. Trying to argue with her about it was a losing proposition. (It had allowed him the singular joy of calling up his mom and telling her he no longer needed an allowance. _That _had been fun.) "I think that even though you're supporting me that it's important that I at least try and provide for myself."

"Is this about that, 'being a man' nonsense?" She asked dryly.

"Pretty much," he admitted.

XXXXXXXXXX

Minato began settling into his new lifestyle. Really it felt like two completely different lives. In one he was the same poor desperate soul he had been before. He still spent most of his time either studying, working manual labor, or rushing to get from one to the other. He wore the same clothes as before, ate the same food, and acted as he always had. He knew better than to mention the fact he was now living in a castle or that he was now married to a gorgeous hot tempered woman who had enough wealth to _buy _a castle on a whim.

Then there was his life living in said castle with a super powered woman who just happened to be an alien. Just living with Tsukiumi was a challenge sometimes regardless of her abilities or DNA. She could get angry over the smallest issues, and then act shy and demure as she asked him to take a bath or come to bed. Despite the loud shouts and occasional threats he was happy living the married life with her. Though there hadn't been any ceremony he did see her as his wife, and being with her was wonderful… if not always peaceful.

XXXXXXXXXX

About a week after moving Minato was arriving home when he was ambushed.

"Niisan!" A you girl shouted as she leapt onto him and hugged him.

"Yukari! What are you doing here?"

The young girl grinned at him mischievously. "What? Can't a sister some see her brother in the big city?"

"Is that really why you're here?" He asked suspiciously.

"Well, I'm also here to fill out some paperwork before attending college," she said with a triumphant laugh.

"Wait, you're coming here to Tokyo to attend college?"

"I sure am."

"Which university?"

"Tokyo University of course!"

Minato felt arrows pierce his body. It would have to be the same school he was shooting for, the one with the highest standards in the country. "So… you passed the entrance exam on the first try?"

"I sure did! So I won't be a two time failure like my worthless oniichan!"

He felt more arrows pierce him.

Laughing she grabbed a hold of his arm. "Heh, I'm just kidding oniichan! You need to lighten up. Now I want to see where you're living now. I got your new address from your old landlord. Oh and mom says you don't need an allowance anymore. How'd you manage that?"

"Ah, well, ah, you see…"

"Whoa!" Yukari cried as soon as they passed the gate and got a look at the building and its grounds. "You live here?!" She stared at her brother with utter incomprehension. "How on earth can you afford to rent a room here?"

_I'm not renting a room, my wife owns the place. _"Well you see…"

"Come on! Show me around!" Still clutching his arm she dragged him towards the building.

Climbing the steps she threw open door and stared at the vast hallway. "This place is amazing!" The girl squealed.

"Minato? Is that you?" from out of a kitchen doorway Tsukiumi entered the hall and froze as she caught sight of Yukari holding onto her husband's arm.

Yukari meanwhile froze upon seeing this extraordinarily beautiful woman in an outfit that was showing off most of her legs and cleavage.

"**Who is she?!" **Both women said at once pointing to each other.

"Minato!" Tsukiumi yelled furiously. "How dare you bring another woman into our home! What is the meaning of this?"

"Wait! It's not like that!" He explained quickly and disentangled his arm. "This is my little sister Yukari! She'll be attending college next year and came here to visit me."

At the explanation Tsukiumi calmed and took a second look at the girl. "You are Minato's sister?"

"Unfortunately," she replied with a grin. "Who are you?"

Tsukiumi swiftly came to Minato's side and firmly took his arm in hers. "My name is Tsukiumi, I am Minato's wife. I am very pleased to meet you Yukari. Please feel free to refer to me as Tsukiumi or as oneessan."

Yukari gasped trying to draw air. "YOU'RE MARRIED?!!"

"Yukari please calm down, I can explain."

"When did this happen?!"

"We were married last week," Tsukiumi said. "He had proposed to me and I accepted."

She could feel her head spinning. "I feel dizzy."

The two of them got Yukari to a chair and then Tsukiumi got all of them some tea. As Yukari drank here eyes darted from her brother to her… sister in law? They were sitting together holding hands. Her brother looked very nervous while the woman seemed to be taking this all in stride.

"How long have you two been dating?" Yukari asked.

"We never actually went on any dates," Tsukiumi told her. "We met about two weeks ago and he proposed. A week later I decided to accept and we were married."

"Huh, well I can kind of understand why he might do something like that meeting a woman like you, proposing out of the blue."

"Thanks sis."

"Just being honest niisan. But why on earth would you accept? I mean why would you want to marry my worthless oniichan?"

"Your brother is definitely not worthless! I admit he has his share of faults."

_Thanks dear, rub the salt in._

"But he is an absolutely wonderful man! His kisses thrill my heart, for me there is no one else but your brother. I love him with my entire being and he loves me. There is no one else I would ever want to be with."

Yukari could see the adoring look in Tsukiumi's eyes as she looked at her niisan. _Wow, who would have ever thought it? I guess niichan actually has some type of charm. It must have developed after he moved away. _"So does mom know?"

"No, and I'd rather wait until I can explain things to her." Minato said. Knowing his mother she would do a background check on Tsukiumi. He dreaded what she might find. For her own safety he couldn't risk having either her or Yukari learn about sekirei or the Sekirei Plan.

Yukari glanced around the room with its antique furnishings. "So I'm guessing this is your place and you invited niichan to come live with you?"

"Actually I only bought this place after we became married," Tsukiumi replied.

"So does that mean you're rich?"

Tsukiumi shrugged. "If you consider someone with a V.I.P. card with an unlimited balance rich, then I suppose I am."

"Unlimited?!" Yukari's eyes expanded and began to glitter. Visions of shopping trips and bags filled with Prada and Versace filled her head.

"Yukari, that doesn't mean you should try and take advantage of her," Minato said.

"It is all right," Tsukiumi said. "As her new older sister I will also watch out for her well being."

"Really?" Yukari said excitedly. "Does that mean we can go shopping together some time?"

Tsukiumi nodded. "Certainly."

"Don't you think you should be spending more time worrying about your studies and less thinking about shopping?"

Yukari pouted. "You're no fun oniichan." She glanced about the room again and let out a melodramatic sigh. "I sure wish I could live here instead of a cramped little dorm room."

"There's no way…"

"You would be more than welcome to come and stay with us." Tsukiumi announced.

"Really! That's so wonderful!"

"Tsukiumi, what are you saying!" Minato said horrified. He loved his sister dearly. That didn't mean he wanted to see her every single day.

"She is you sister Minato, and so she will be mine as well. And with all the space we have there is no reason she should not stay here." She gave him a confident smile. "Don't worry I'll give her a room well away from ours so she won't hear our lovemaking."

Yukari cringed at that. _I so do not want to think about that! _"Oh by the way, why don't you have rings?"

"What?" Tsukiumi asked.

Yukari pointed to her left hand. "Normally when a couple marries they wear gold bans on the ring finger of the left hand. You know, to let people know their taken and off the market."

Tsukiumi suddenly turned to her husband angrily. "Minato! Why didn't you ever mention this?"

"Huh? I assumed you knew and didn't care, I mean you're not very big on ceremony."

"If this is something a wife and husband should have then I definitely want it! Especially if it lets the world know you belong to me!"

Yukari eagerly jumped to her feet. "It's not a big deal. We could go to a jeweler right now and get them."

Tsukiumi nodded decisively. "Then that's what we'll do!" She grabbed him and hauled him up to his feet. "Let's go Minato!"

This was the first, but far from the last, time Yukari would make her older brother's life more difficult.


	4. Second

"So you're married eh kid?" Seo asked as he liberally helped himself to Minato's obento. "Well at least she's a pretty good cook."

"Yeah," Minato said feeling a bit embarrassed. He hadn't meant for the subject to come up but the older man had spotted his wedding ring. The same thing had happened in the cram school, the girls in class seemed to have a built in radar when it came to that. "Tsukiumi-san always insists I eat good healthy meals." Actually Tsukiumi was useless in the kitchen, she couldn't even boil rice. She had his bentos prepared by a gourmet restaurant and delivered to their home each day.

"Your wife's name is Tsukiumi? Hmmm, where have I heard that name before?" Seo thought for a moment before giving up and stealing another bit of chicken. "So how is she in the sack?"

"Ex… excuse me?"

Seeing Minato blush Seo laughed and nudged him with an elbow. "Come on now, just between us men, how is she?"

Minato looked down, his face completely red. "A… amazing."

Seo howled with laughter. The kid _must _have been a virgin when he got hitched. "Well good for you young one, sounds like you've got a happy home life." He grimaced. "Unlike me."

"Seo-san, are you married too? You don't have a ring."

"Pffft, as though I'd go through the trouble of actually marrying. No, I've got two women who live with me. They spend half their time complaining and the other half trying to kill me. 'Seo you are a worthless man.' 'Seo why don't you get a job?' 'Seo we don't have any food!' Complain, complain, complain, though they're both pretty decent cooks. If they weren't so great in bed I'd have run away from them a long time ago."

Minato nodded in sympathy. He had to deal with living with two women as well. The fact one was his sister only made things more troubling in surprising ways.

XXXXXXXXXX

**Flashback**

"Tsukiumi-san are you in here?" Minato walked into their bedroom and froze.

There was Tsukiumi, but rather than being dressed in her usual outfit she had on a female sailor suit complete with a short skirt, knee high socks, and a white blouse that was stretched to its absolute limit. He instantly recognized it as the female uniform from his old High School. Just to complete the illusion Tsukiumi had put her long blonde locks into a pair of ponytails and had a couple of books in her hands.

She pouted and looked over at him. "Minato-sempai could you help me with my studies, please? I'll do _anything _if you'll help me pass my test."

Blood shot out of his nose and he collapsed.

Yukari had mentioned the concept of, 'cosplay' and one thing had led to another.

XXXXXXXXXX

In another part of Tokyo Tsukiumi was sweating as she drew a massive amount of water from the air and formed into the shape of four snake heads. She then sent them streaming out to hit four wooden targets she had set up. All four were struck and torn to splinters.

Behind her was a clapping sound.

Through tired she swiftly turned around to see Homura standing on the roof's edge. "Really impressive, have you been training this whole time? I haven't seen you in a couple of weeks."

"Homura! Have you come here to challenge me my arch rival?"

He shook his head and began to approach her. "You're the only one who wants to have matches; I only fight when I need to."

"What are you talking about? You are always fighting whenever unwinged ones get attacked!"

"Well I have to fight then don't I? I mean I am the guardian of the unwinged. Speaking of which I see you have a crest now, congratulations."

Tsukiumi blushed slightly. "Thank you."

Homura looked at her left hand and raised an eyebrow. "You're even wearing a wedding ring? That's rather formal isn't it?"

"I… I have every right to wear a ring," she said. "After all I am not only his sekirei I am also his wife!" Homura began to laugh. "What is so funny?"

"It's just that I'm used to you swearing up and down you would never accept an ashikabi, and now here you are not only a winged sekirei but thinking of yourself as a wife even."

"I am a wife!" She shoved her left hand out in front of his face. "See? Only a wife would wear a ring like this!"

"Fine, fine you're a wife," he said and put his hands up. "So, has he violated you yet?" Homura asked teasingly.

Tsukiumi's face immediately turned a deep crimson. "He… he… he would never violate me!" She yelled furiously. "When my husband touches me it's lovemaking!"

"Oh? There's a difference?" In the next second Homura found himself drenched.

"Defend yourself!" Tsukiumi screeched.

Homura was soon racing over the roof tops dodging spears of water and laughing the entire time.

XXXXXXXXXX

Minato was heading home from work when he heard a loud crack of thunder.

Looking up he saw a mostly clear blue sky with only a few clouds.

"Please look out!" A girl shouted.

Looking up he saw her materialize out of the sun. _Oh no not again!_

Ooomph!

"Ouchie," the girl said. She looked down in concern at the man who had broken her fall. "Are you all right?"

Minato was monetarily unable to speak as his entire face was buried in the girl's huge chest.

The girl suddenly looked up. "Look out!" She grabbed him and leapt out of the way as a bolt of lightning struck the spot they'd been in.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"Fi… fine, what's going on here?"

"Hey! Stop running and fight with us!" A woman in a violet S&M outfit said as she landed in the street ahead of them.

"It's for your own good!" Another woman in a pink version of the same outfit said as she landed on the other end of the street. "Go back to M.B.I. and exit the game while you can."

"There's no way I can do that!" The girl who had landed on Minato said. She was a very pretty brunette with breasts even larger than Tsukiumi's. She had on a white top with red gloves, a pinks sash around her waste, a short red skirt, and white stockings. "I have to find my ashikabi first!"

"Idiot!" The girl inn the purple outfit shouted. "Do you have any idea how miserable life can be if you're stuck with a worthless man for an ashikabi?"

"Hikari," the girl in pink said in a strained voice. "You aren't making us sound very good."

"Wait a moment," Minato said and slowly got to his feet. "You three are sekirei aren't you?"

All three women looked at him in surprise. "How do you know about sekirei?" The girl in purple asked. She gave him a suspicious look. "Are you someone's ashikabi?"

Minato looked nervously at the two women in the S&M gear. They both had electricity crackling in one palm. Tsukiumi and Manaka had both mentioned that sekirei had to fight each other, but he hadn't found out if ashikabi were supposed to be involved in these fights too. Looking at the girl who was being attacked though he knew he had to do something.

Taking a deep breath he spoke. "That's right, I am an ashikabi. My sekirei is Tsukiumi, sekirei number nine, the water sekirei. She says that sekirei fights are one to one. So if you have to fight at least don't double team her."

Both girls began to pale. "_You're _number nine's ashikabi?"

"Ah, yes, that's right," Minato replied nervously.

The two girls looked at each other. Neither of them wanted to run into Tsukiumi ever again. And hurting her ashikabi was likely to seriously piss her off.

"Okay," the one in purple said. "We'll let you go this one time." The other one nodded her assent and the two of them left.

The remaining girl turned to him with a huge smile. "Thank you! Those two have been chasing me for days now!" She gave him a powerful hug.

"Heh, you're very welcome."

Still smiling he watched as she let go… and then slowly toppled over and fell to the sidewalk.

"Hey! Are you all right."

"Hungry," she said weakly.

XXXXXXXXXX

"My savior! You truly are my savior!" The girl's eyes were glistening as she looked at him. She had a hamburger in each hand and was alternating taking a bite from each. She had already eaten eight along with six large servings of fries and didn't seem near done. He had never seen anyone with such an appetite. How she could eat like that and keep that incredible figure was beyond him.

They were sitting on a park bench, having taken their massive order from the burger place to go. "It's no problem, but shouldn't you have an M.B.I. V.I.P. card with no limit?"

"I forgot mine," she said blithely and continued eating. "I was so eager to find my ashikabi I left without it."

"Uh, well maybe you should go back to M.B.I. and get it. Having money makes life a whole lot easier."

The girl shook her head. "Once you leave M.B.I. Tower to go and find your ashikabi you're not supposed to return except for medical treatment or if you leave the game."

"By leave the game do you mean if you lose a fight?"

She nodded. "But that's only once you've gotten your crest. If you're still unwinged it doesn't matter, or at least it shouldn't." She finished off the burgers and wiped her mouth with a paper napkin. "Really, thank you so much, not just for saving me but for the meal. You are a very kind person."

"Heh, it's really no big deal," I can't stand aside when I see someone who needs help."

"What's your name? I just realized that even though you've saved me I don't know your name."

"My name is Minato, Sahashi Minato."

"Minato!" She said brightly. "I am pleased to meet you; my name is Musubi, sekirei number 88." She reached over and promptly hugged him again. "I hope my ashikabi is a kind person just like Minato-kun."

She was certainly very enthusiastic and with her chest pressing into his her hugs were certainly pleasant. Smiling he waited for her to break the hug and release him. After more than a minute though he began to wonder if something was wrong.

"Ah, Musubi? You can let go of me now."

At the sound of his voice Musubi lifted her head from his chest; there was an odd look in her eyes. "Hot," she said.

"Excuse me?"

"My body, it feels so hot. Here," she grabbed one of his hands and pressed it to her bosom. "Can you feel the way my heart is racing?"

Her chest was amazingly soft, and he could indeed feel her heart beat. It was pounding.

"Ah, ah, that's… that's…"

She slowly began lifting her head towards his.

"Musubi what are you…"

"Ashikabi-sama," she whispered. "I've found you."

Before Minato even realized what was happening she was kissing him.

Musubi felt a flash of heat consume her. A brilliant light appeared in the form of wings sprouting from her back and a sekirei crest appeared below her neck.

Minato stared at the sekirei mark and the wings of light as they slowly faded away. Musubi had a huge smile on her face. "What just happened?"

"I became your sekirei! You are now my ashikabi-sama! I will stay at your side now and forever!" She again embraced him.

He had never suspected ashikabi could have more than one sekirei. He had just sort of assumed that for each sekirei there was one ashikabi. Now though only one thought was in his head.

"I am so dead." He whispered.


	5. Let Me Explain

When Minato returned home Tsukiumi and Yukari were both waiting for him.

"Minato! You are late. I have already had dinner delivered and it is ready," Tsukiumi announced.

"Geez oniichan why are you so late?" Yukari complained. "Oneesan wouldn't let me eat until you came home."

"Ah, about being late," Minato began. "I sort of had some trouble today."

"What sort of trouble?' Tsukiumi asked. "Nothing serious I hope."

"Ah, no not really," he carefully approached his wife. "Ah, Tsukiumi-san you know I love you right?"

She flashed him a confident smile. "Well obviously, and I love you."

"And you know I would never do anything deliberately to hurt you?"

She nodded. "Obviously."

"Uh, oh," Yukari said. "Oniichan, what did you do?"

"What… what makes you think I did anything?"

"Any time a man starts apologizing for no obvious reason it's a bad sign."

Tsukiumi looked at him with a slight frown. "Is there something I should know about Minato?"

"Ah, sort of," he replied warily.

Tsukiumi crossed her arms. "Well go ahead and tell me what it is. So long as it does not involve another woman I will not be too upset."

"Ah, well, you see…"

The front door opened and Musubi popped her head in. "Minato-sama, how long am I supposed to wait again?"

Minato could feel the room temperature drop.

"Mi… na… to…" His wife spoke as dark clouds surrounded her. "Who is that?"

Before he could gather the courage to speak Musubi entered the room and answered for him. "My name is Musubi, sekirei number 88. Minato-sama is my ashikabi!"

_Sekirei? _Yukari wondered. "You're a wagtail? What is that? Some kind of new slang for an easy woman? And what do you mean you're number 88? And what do you mean my brother is your ashikabi?"

"Ah Yukari maybe you should go to your room while… urk!" He cut off as Tsukiumi grabbed him by the collar and began shaking him violently.

"Minato!" She screamed. "Why the hell did you wing another sekirei?! Am I not enough for you?!"

"Gurk, ack…"

"Musubi doesn't think Minato-sama can answer you while you shake him like that."

"You stay the hell out of this!" Tsukiumi yelled furiously.

"Geez oniichan what kind of idiot brings his mistress home to meet his wife?" While Yukari was genuinely upset at her brother's stupidity, she was also sort of impressed. This Musubi girl was incredibly cute and had breasts every bit as enormous as Tsukiumi's, maybe bigger. The bother she had grown up with had always been very kind hearted and gentle, but totally hopeless around women. Yet somehow he'd gotten not one but two absolutely gorgeous girls to fall for him. She had no idea how but there was no denying the evidence.

"Musubi is not a mistress, Musubi is a sekirei," Musubi said. "What's a mistress?"

Meanwhile Tsukiumi had momentarily halted shaking her ashikabi. "Tsu... Tsukiumi-san, I can explain!"

Still holding onto his collar Tsukiumi glared, but resisted the urge to start shaking again. "Then explain quickly before I decide to kill her, kill you, and then kill myself."

"I wi… will, but first I need Yukari to leave."

"Forget it! No way am I missing this! I want to hear how could possibly explain cheating on someone as amazing as oneesan!"

"Please Tsukiumi-san," he whispered to her. "It's for her own safety. Remember what Manaka said."

Tsukiumi considered it and gave a nod. "Yukari, would you please go to your room for now?"

"What? But I want to hear oniichan try to worm his way out of this."

"Yukari! Go to your room! Now!"

Yukari grimaced. It was like Tsukiumi had been momentarily channeling her mother. "All right oneesan, but you better tell me everything later." She hurriedly left.

Once she was safely gone Tsukiumi turned her full focus back onto Minato. "Well?"

He gulped and said a silent prayer. "Well you see I was coming home when I heard thunder…"

XXXXXXXXXX

"And the next thing I knew she was my sekirei. I swear I didn't even know an ashikabi could have more than one sekirei."

Musubi applauded. "That was wonderful Minato-sama. You tell it really well."

As Minato had explained Tsukiumi's anger had _somewhat _lessened. She had even let go of him. "So you really weren't trying to get another sekirei?"

Minato violently shook his head. "No, of course not."

Tsukiumi looked over at the other woman. "And you were the one who initiated the winging? You kissed him?"

Musubi nodded. "As soon as Musubi knew he was Musubi's ashikabi!"

"Well… I suppose I can't really blame you then Minato." He let out a huge sigh of relief. It looked like he was going to live after all. "Though in the future you will have to be much more careful around unwinged sekirei. There is no way to know which ones will react to you."

"I'll definitely keep that in mind for the future," he said. "Now what do we do about the current situation?"

"Oh I know _exactly _how to handle it." Tsukiumi cracked her knuckles and sent an evil look Musubi's way. "I'll kill her and things will be back to normal."

"That's fine with Musubi!" She took up a fighter's stance and looked eager to go. "Now that Musubi has found her ashikabi-sama she will never, ever leave him!"

As the two of them squared off Minato got in between them. _Well maybe I'm going to die today after all. _"Hold it! Isn't there some other way to resolve this? What if I stop being her ashikabi?"

Both women stared at him.

"That would be impossible Minato," Tsukiumi told him. "Each sekirei can only be winged once. A sekirei can have only one ashikabi in her lifetime."

Musubi nodded. "That is why whenever a sekirei pledges her loyalty to her ashikabi she always uses the words, 'now and forever.' For us the winging ceremony is sacred. The bonds between sekirei and ashikabi are absolute and eternal. But even if they were not Musubi would _never _leave you Minato-sama."

"Hey! Don't talk about my husband like that! As his legal wife I am the only one who gets to say things like that!"

"Wife?" Musubi asked questioningly.

Tsukiumi extended her left hand to show off her ring. "That's right! Minato is not only my ashikabi but my husband as well!

Musubi's eyes began to glitter. "Does that mean Musubi gets to be Minato-sama's wife too?"

"No!" Tsukiumi shouted. She possessively took one of his arms and held on tight. "I am Minato's one and only wife! You would be a concubine!"

"What's a concubine?"

"Sometimes very powerful men would need the services of more than one woman. These additional women were called concubines. But only the most talented and amazing woman would be recognized as the legal wife!"

"Oh," Musubi said. "So what do concubines do exactly?"

Tsukiumi's face turned a dark red. "Ne… never you mind what they do! You won't be doing it!"

Musubi stood there utterly confused.

Still holding firmly to his arm Tsukiumi turned to Minato. "Since you've already winged her I suppose I'll accept her as a concubine. It wouldn't hurt to have _just _one more sekirei around to help protect you. I'll put up with her as long as she understands I am your one and only legal wife. But let me make something very, very clear to you. Even though she is your concubine the only one who will share your bed or bath will be **me. **I will be the _only_ one to perform the wifely duties. If you want your back scrubbed or to be, ah, _pleasured _I expect you to come only to me. I will never turn you away or refuse you, so you are not allowed to seek those things from anyone but me. Is that clear?"

Minato nodded immediately. "I understand Tsukiumi-san, and since I really do see you as my wife I promise to be faithful to you."

"Good," she said. "Because if you are ever unfaithful to me and I catch you I will kill her, kill you, and then kill myself. I love you too much to do anything less."

Minato smiled at her nervously. _I guess sekirei don't believe in divorce._

"So does this mean Musubi can stay?" She grabbed Minato's other arm and looked up at him adoringly.

Tsukiumi bared her teeth and let out a low growl.

_Why do I get the feeling this is going to be a real challenge? _Minato thought nervously.


	6. Go Together

"I'm really sorry for all the confusion today," Minato said. "Are you still mad at me?"

After explaining to Musubi the 'rules' of what a concubine could and could not do there had followed an even more difficult explanation with Yukari. She couldn't begin to imagine what her older brother might have said to convince oneesan to allow the other woman to stay. After all that they had finally gotten to sit down to dinner.

They wound up having to order more food as Musubi was still hungry even after cleaning off her plate. After dinner Tsukiumi had assigned Musubi a room at the other end of the castle next to Yukari's. Now finally they had both taken a hot bath and were lying on their bed. Minato was dressed in pajamas while Tsukiumi was in a tiny white silk teddy that barely covered up anything. Just looking at her Minato's heart began to beat faster. It was still hard to believe that she was actually his wife.

Tsukiumi let out a defeated sigh. "It is all right Minato, I am not angry any more. I am sorry as well, I should not have shaken and yelled at you the way I did."

"Heh, that's all right Tsukiumi-san, I sort of figured you'd be upset." _I'm just grateful you didn't end up killing me._

She looked down and began nervously playing with a lock of her long hair. "It's just… I don't like the idea of sharing you with anyone. I want you all to myself."

His heart began racing even more. Whenever Tsukiumi acted shy she just became too cute! "Tsukiumi-san, why did you pick me?"

She looked up at him. "What do mean Minato?"

"Well… it's just that you are so beautiful and so amazing. A woman like you could be with anyone. Why did you choose me? I'm nothing special. Average looks, no particular talent, no money, and I failed to get into university twice. You could do so much better. I'm really unworthy."

"Minato!" She said in a sudden stern voice. "Never refer to yourself as unworthy ever again! Do you hear me?"

"Uh, ye… yes."

Her anger vanished as quickly as it had come. She looked at him with warm loving eyes. "Minato, it does not matter to me what anyone else thinks of you. I do not care about talents or money or that you failed some test. As for your looks you are very handsome."

She gently took one of his hands and pressed it to her cheek.

"Minato," she said tenderly. "Don't you know that to me you are the most special man in this entire world? The moment we first met I felt it, the pull of my heart to yours. You are the only one who will ever be allowed to touch my body. You are the only one whose kisses I hunger for. The only one who makes me feel safe and secure. You are the only one I will ever love Minato. You are my one and only beloved husband, now and forever."

"Tsukiumi-san…"

"So please don't ever have any doubts about your place in my heart, because it belongs only to you."

"Tsukiumi-san," he whispered. He wasn't sure what to say. So he kissed her and pulled her close. He decided to show her what those words meant to him.

XXXXXXXXXX

Yukari had just fallen asleep when there was a desperate pounding at her door. "What?" She called out groggily.

The door burst open and Musubi rushed in. "Yukari-san! Yukari-san! It's terrible!"

"Huh? What is?" She tried to rub the sleep from her eyes.

"It's Tsukiumi-san I think she's dying!" Without warning Musubi grabbed her hand and hauled her out of bed dragging her along the hall and down the flight of steps.

"Calm down! Now what do you mean she's dying? Is she hurt or something?"

"I think so," Musubi replied. "Musubi was going to the kitchen to see if there was anything else to eat."

"You're _still _hungry? You had like six plates of food!"

"Musubi can't help it when she's hungry, anyway on the way to the kitchen Musubi heard Tsukiumi-san groaning like she was in pain. Musubi didn't know what to do and decided to ask Yukari." She'd managed to get them from one end of the castle to the other and down a flight of stairs in less than thirty seconds. They were standing just outside Minato and Tsukiumi's bedroom door. "See just listen, she seems to be dying," Musubi said with tears in her eyes.

Yukari did stop and listen for a second.

"Ah! Ah! Oooooooh! Oh yes! Ahhhhhh! Oh! Oh Minatoooooo!!" Tsukiumi cried out.

Yukari's entire face turned red. "You idiot! What the hell kind of mistress are you?!"

Musubi looked at her confused. "Musubi is a sekirei not a mistress. What's a mistress?"

"Never mind! Let's just get out of here before they realize we're listening." She grabbed Musubi's arm and began dragging her away.

"But what about Tsukiumi-san? She sounds like she's in pain."

"She's definitely not in pain, just the opposite in fact." _Well that was disturbing. I guess oniichan really is all grown up now._

XXXXXXXXXX

He was in the woods when he heard his sister crying.

"Yukari-chan!" He called out. "Don't cry Yukari-chan, big brother will come and take you home."

Why was she always getting lost in the woods? Didn't she ever learn? He walked through the forest towards the sound of the crying. He didn't really like being out in the woods after dark, but he couldn't ignore someone who needed help. Especially not his sister.

He was glad when he finally saw her. She was curled up in a ball up on a low hanging tree sobbing. "Look, you're crying because you can't get down again? Don't cry, oniichan is here."

"Oniichan?" The girl said questioningly and turned to look at him. She was a little girl of about 9 or 10 with long dirty blonde hair and eyes the color of fresh cur grass.

_It's not Yukari. _Well, whoever it was she still needed his help. He smiled up at her and held out both hands. "It's all right, don't be scared. If you jump down I will definitely catch you."

The stared down at him and hesitated. Then suddenly jumped. He was able to catch her and then carefully set her on the ground.

"Are you all right?"

Staring up at him the girl silently nodded.

"Can you tell me your name?"

"Ku… Kusano," she said in a small voice.

Smiling he patted her head affectionately. "So you're Ku-chan, that's a cute name."

For the first time she giggled and smiled back at him.

"Why were you crying?" He asked.

The smile faded away and the girl was on the verge of tears once more. "Was it Ku's fault? Takami bled a lot. She tried to stop the oneesan with the big scythe from taking Ku away. Takami said it was too soon, but Ku wanted to go outside and was stubborn."

"Ku-chan I don't understand."

"Please help me oniichan," she said.

Before his eyes the little girl began to fade away. "Ku-chan? Ku-chan!"

XXXXXXXXXX

"Ku-chan," he called as he opened his eyes. When he woke up he saw Tsukiumi sitting in bed next to him glaring.

"Mi… na…. to…" she said dangerously. "Who is this Ku-chan and why are you calling her name?"

XXXXXXXXXX

"Geez oniichan," Yukari said. "You're having dreams about little girls now? Are you a lollicon or something?"

"It… it wasn't like that!" He sputtered.

Yukari began to giggle. "Take it easy oniichan, I'm just teasing."

Sitting around the breakfast table they were all eating as they discussed Minato's vivid dream. Musubi had about four times as much food on her plate as anyone else.

"Musubi thinks it's wonderful that Minato-sama wanted to rescue that girl. It's just like the way Minato-sama rescued Musubi."

"How _exactly_ did my brother, 'rescue' you again?" Yukari asked. Despite many questions she still knew next to nothing about this woman or how exactly she had met Minato.

"Minato-sama told Musubi not to talk to you about any of that."

_Well it figures he'd want to keep that hush, hush, _Yukari thought. _But I still don't get why oneesan is okay with her living here._

"Even if it is only a dream you should have no other women on your mind but me Minato!" Tsukiumi announced.

"I can't really control my dreams Tsukiumi-san."

XXXXXXXXXX

As he was leaving cram school to go to his part time job Minato received a text message on his cell phone from M.B.I.

**To all ashikabi, a very interesting unwinged sekirei is available in the botanical gardens. First come first served!**

_What is this about? _Minato wondered. The botanical gardens were right next door to the construction site where he worked.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I'm sorry, but we can't work today." The foreman told his men.

"Why's that?" Seo asked.

The foreman nodded down the street to where a swarm of armed soldiers and military vehicles were forcing people and traffic to steer clear. They were a small fraction of M.B.I.'s private army. Inside the walls of the botanical garden it was plain to see something strange was going on, massive trees had sprouted everywhere and were at least twenty feet higher than they had always been.

"Something weird happened in the botanical garden and M.B.I. is making everyone stay at least 500 yards clear. We've been ordered to shut down construction until further notice."

"Can they do that?" Another worker complained. "What about the city government?"

"Are you kidding? They practically are the government."

Seo chuckled sourly.

Looking in the direction of the botanical garden and those weird trees Minato could have sworn he could hear a girl crying.

"Do you hear that?" Minato asked.

"Hear what?"

"A girl crying."

Seo gave him an odd look. "I don't hear anything kid. Listen, you may as well head home. It's not like there's anything for you to do with work closed."

"Seo!" A woman shouted. "Did you get fired _again_?" Two women dressed like maids were approaching.

"Not this time," Seo said pleasantly.

As the two women came near they got a good look at Minato and stopped in their tracks. "You!" One of them shouted pointing at him.

"Ah, sorry, have we met?"

"You were the one who was protecting that annoying brunette the other day," she accused. "You said you were number nine's ashikabi!"

Realization dawned on Minato. "The S&M twins!"

"What did you call us?" The girl shouted and shook her fist.

"Hikari, don't do anything rash," the other sister said. "You know number nine will take it out on us if we hurt him."

"Eh? You're an ashikabi too?" Seo asked. "Wait, does that mean your wife is your sekirei?"

"Ah, yes, that's right. We haven't had an actual wedding, but Tsukiumi-san considers us to have been married from the moment I winged her."

"So do you treat her like you would a proper wife?" The second girl asked. She sent a disappointed look Seo's way. "Must be nice."

"Probably not," the first one said. "After all he works at the same place as Seo so he must be a worthless ashikabi too." She sent Minato a hard look. "Tell the truth, are the two of you always struggling to stay fed and keep a roof over your head?"

He looked at her blankly. "Uh, no, Tsukiumi-san has a credit card with an unlimited balance so money's not a problem. I just work here because I think a man should at least try and provide for himself."

For some reason he couldn't understand both women collapsed when they heard that.

"Why?" The first one cried bitterly. "Why are we the only ones cursed with a totally worthless ashikabi?!"

"It'll be all right Hikari," the other sister said.

"No it won't Hibiki," she said.

"Ah, excuse me," Minato spoke up. "But don't all sekirei get a V.I.P. card? Musubi mentioned getting one too but leaving without it."

"Oh. They used to have them too," Seo said. "They got cancelled when they became my sekirei."

"Huh? Why? Were you too proud to let them pay for things?"

Seo laughed so hard he doubled over.

"They got cancelled by M.B.I." Hibiki told him.

"Apparently Minaka and Seo have some kind of old grudge," Hikari said. "And because of that we're forced to live hand to mouth always worrying about where the next meal is coming from."

"Say, whatever happened to that annoying sekirei you were protecting?" Hibiki asked.

"Ah, well, I sort of winged her," Minato admitted.

"Oh, ho! So you have two sekirei as well do you?" Seo said. "In that case why don't you call them and we can work together."

"What do you mean?"

Seo took out his cell and pulled up the text message from M.B.I. "Ashikabi from all over the city will descend on this place and make it a battle zone. Let's work together. Four sekirei will be hard to beat, especially if one of them is a single number. What do you say kid?"

"What happens if we run into other sekirei?"

"We fight obviously," Hikari said.

"I… I don't want to put my sekirei in danger."

"That's a good attitude to have," Hibiki said. "And it's nice that you care about the welfare of your sekirei." She again sent a disparaging look Seo's way. "But it's naïve to think you can keep them from getting involved in fights. All of us sekirei have to fight, there's no other choice for us."

_They will fight each other until there is only one left standing. _Those had been Minaka's words, and so far all the sekirei he'd met seemed to just take it for granted.

"All right," Minato said slowly. "If we join you and find the sekirei who is in there, what then?"

"We'll let the sekirei decide who she wants as an ashikabi. How's that sound?"

Minato looked in the direction of the botanical garden. He still thought he could hear the faint echo of a girl crying. He pulled out his cell. "All right, we'll go together."


	7. The Role of a Concubine

"Minato, why are we here?" Tsukiumi asked while sending a hostile look at Hikari and Hibiki.

"There's a sekirei in there that needs rescuing," he said.

"And why should that be any concern to you?" She demanded. "You already have two sekirei, that's already one more than you need! Why do you want another one?"

"I, ah, don't want another one. But I heard her crying and I just can't walk away if someone needs my help."

"Minato-sama has such a good heart!" Musubi said as she began jumping about. "That's what Musubi loves the best about her ashikabi-sama!"

Tsukiumi crossed her arms and looked away. "Obviously this is going to be a huge bother, but if this is what you truly want Minato then as your wife I will support you."

"Great that you two are on board," Seo said with a grin.

Minato looked nervously down the street at all the soldiers and armored vehicles that stood between them and their goal. "So how do we even get into the botanical gardens?"

Seo grinned. "Through the front door of course."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Retreat!" A sergeant howled as he took off running after his men.

All around the street were downed soldiers groaning or unconscious. Several armored vehicles with huge rubber tires were broken open like eggs or tossed on their sides like discarded toys. There was a crack of thunder as a pair of lightning bolts descended and struck some soldiers who had taken cover behind one of the overturned vehicles. Another couple who still wanted to fight were hit by a geyser of water and slammed into a wall.

"Musubi is having fun!" The girl shouted playfully as she lifted a six ton assault vehicle over her head and threw it.

Minato and Seo both stood back at a safe distance and watched their sekirei tear through M.B.I.'s troops.

"They're really impressive aren't they?" Seo said.

"Ye… yeah," Minato said.

Seo grinned at his young friend's obvious nervousness. "Let me guess, this is the first time seeing what your girls can _really _do?"

Minato nodded. "Tsukiumi took me flying over roof tops once, and I knew your sekirei could use lightning and that Tsukiumi-san could use water. But I had no idea Musubi was so strong or that their powers could do _this._"

"The girls are pretty amazing," Seo said. "Course they can be pretty damn annoying sometimes too."

Minato had to jump back as a bolt of lightning came out of nowhere and struck Seo, making him shout and jerk about.

"Seo you bastard! I heard that!" Hikari shouted.

"See… what I mean?" a blackened and slightly smoking Seo said.

The fighting was quickly ended as the last soldiers broke and ran rather than face them anymore.

"Musubi is really excited! What do we do next?"

Minato was surprised that both Musubi and Tsukiumi were looking to him. "What?"

Tsukiumi let out an annoyed sigh. "You are our ashikabi Minato we are waiting for your orders."

"Orders? But, ah, why would I give you orders?"

"Musubi will always do whatever Minato-sama wants!"

"Minato," Tsukiumi spoke in a strained voice. "I know you promised not to give me orders, but the fact is we are both here because it is what you want. As our ashikabi it is our duty to protect you and fight for you. Tell us what you want us to do and we will do it for you. Now try and be more confident, remember you are my ashikabi and my husband. So long as I am here there is nothing for you to be nervous about."

"Heh," Seo said. "Not bad kid, you've actually got a couple pretty obedient ones."

The next second Seo was being choked and shaken violently back and forth. "Who the hell are you calling obedient you dirty little monkey?!"

"Hey! Let Seo go!" Hikari yelled.

"That's right! We're the only ones allowed to beat him up!" Hibiki shouted.

"Tsukiumi-san! Please let him go before you kill him." Minato pleaded.

"Fine," Tsukiumi released him.

"Ah, why don't we hurry up and find the missing sekirei?" Minato suggested.

XXXXXXXXXX

From a nearby car a fifteen year old watched the battle end and the two units of ashikabi and sekirei enter the gardens. "Well this makes things more interesting." He turned to the two women sitting in the back of the luxury car with him. "Yomi, Akizu, you know what you have to do. Bring me number 108 no matter what. Don't bother to return without her, I have no use for weak sekirei."

"Heh, no need to worry master," Yomi replied with a smirk.

"Yes master," Akizu answered solemnly.

XXXXXXXXXX

"This place is a jungle," Seo complained. Even the grass had grown out of all proportion, leaving them struggling through waist high vegetation. "How are we going to find this girl?"

"She's this way," Minato said as he veered off from the direction they'd been heading.

"Eh, how can you be sure of that?" Seo asked.

"Because I can hear her crying," Minato replied.

"Minato, are you sure?" Tsukiumi asked. "I don't hear anything."

"I'm sure Tsukiumi-san, it's really, really, faint but I know I can hear her. She's alone and scared and we need to get to her."

"What are you talking about? There's no way you could hear someone crying if none of us can," Hikari said. "A sekirei's senses are far sharper than a human's."

"If Minato says he can hear her then he definitely can!" Tsukiumi said.

"That's right!" Musubi said. "Minato-sama is amazing!"

"You know I wonder if you already have a connection to this sekirei," Seo wondered aloud.

"How could I have a connection when I haven't even met her yet?"

"I used to have a close friend who was a researcher and adjuster with M.B.I. His name was Takehito and he would tell me about his work. He was a little bit of a romantic even if he was a scientist and he believed that each sekirei would find a way to meet the ashikabi she was meant to be with. He believed that under some circumstances they might contact each other subconsciously, perhaps in their dreams."

"Minato-sama had a dream about a lost girl last night!" Musubi said.

"Oh really?" Seo said with interest.

Whap!

"Owie!" Musubi rubbed the back of her head where Tsukiumi had just slapped her. "Tsukiumi-san! Why did you hit Musubi?"

"Don't go around telling people things about Minato," she told her. "Even if we're working together now we may have to fight them one day."

"Tsukiumi-san I'm sure it's okay," Minato said. "Seo, Hikari, and Hibiki are all our friends now."

"Yes we are," Seo said with a happy smile. "For now."

Hikari and Hibiki both nodded. "Tsukiumi has it right," Hibiki said. "Even though we have no interest in the Sekirei Plan as sekirei we have to fight. Even if we don't want it we may have to be enemies one day."

"Would you really do that Seo?" Minato asked.

"I wouldn't want to, but it might not be my choice. 'The sekirei must fight and fight until there is one left standing.' Sound familiar?"

Minato could only nod at the reminder of Minaka's words. "I don't want that, I definitely don't want to have to fight people I like."

Seo shrugged. "Neither do I, but it would be stupid not to realize it's a possibility."

XXXXXXXXXX

Minato continued to lead them like a blood hound through the dense wood. At last the others began to hear the girl crying as well. They came to a large tree and there she was, a small child curled up on a branch sobbing. Minato gave a startled gasp when he realized he recognized her.

"Ku-chan?"

The girl stopped her crying and looked down to see the people who had just arrived. Her eyes immediately turned to him. "Oniichan?"

Smiling Minato stepped closer to the tree and held his hands out. "Go ahead and jump, I promise oniichan will catch you."

The little girl looked down at his waiting arms and hesitated. Then without a word jumped down. Minato caught her.

"Oniichan, you came for me." The little girl sobbed into his chest.

"It's all right now Ku-chan, you're safe."

Looking on Seo shook his head. "Looks like that sekirei has chosen her ashikabi."

"You're amazing Minato-sama, she'll be your third!" Musubi turned excitedly to Tsukiumi. "Isn't it wonderful?"

"Wonderful," Tsukiumi said dryly. "Well… since it's a little kid I'll accept it. Go ahead and wing her Minato."

"What? She's a little girl I can't do that!"

As he answered Kusano gave a long yawn and fell asleep in his arms.

"While I'm not thrilled about it it's obvious she's chosen you as her ashikabi, and looking at this place it's just as obvious that even if she is just a kid she has plenty of power."

"Power that belongs to out master!" A girl with a scythe said. Beside her was another girl with brown hair, a white and black dress, a chain draped around her neck, and most noticeably a sekirei crest on her forehead.

"Please give the girl to us," the other one said in a solemn tone.

Tsukiumi and Musubi immediately moved to get between Minato and Kusano and these two new arrivals. "Even if I don't like it Minato has decided to accept this girl as his sekirei," Tsukiumi announced. "That means you can't have her."

"Are you two strong?" Musubi asked, shaking with excitement. "Musubi wants to fight you!"

"Come on Akizu! Let's crush them!" The girl launched herself at them with her partner beside her.

Tsukiumi and Musubi launched themselves as well meeting them in mid air.

"Should we back them up?" Hibiki asked.

"No," Seo said. "That sekirei is taken, this doesn't involve us anymore. Let's just go."

XXXXXXXXXX

Yomi lifted her scythe, eyes blazing. "I'll strip those clothes right off you!"

Tsukiumi's lips twisted in distaste. "What are you some kind of hentai? Only my husband gets to do that!" From out of her hands a jet of water caught her opponent and sent her flying back to the earth.

"Ughh," Yomi cried as she crashed.

"Musubi really wants to fight!" She threw a punch that would have gone through a couple feet of steel reinforced cement. Instead it hit a wall of ice, shattering it.

"You won't be able to reach me like that," Akizu said calmly.

They both landed safely on the ground.

"Musubi won't ever give up!" She threw herself at her enemy again only to again be blocked by a sheet of ice.

"Purely physical attacks won't work against me," Akizu said and promptly showed her why.

At Musubi's feet the ground froze and ice quickly rose. Musubi found herself frozen solid up to her waist.

"You'll break out of that momentarily," Akizu said calmly. "But not soon enough."

She dashed past her trapped opponent.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Taste my full power!" Tsukiumi shouted. A sphere of water fired from her hands and struck Yomi with explosive force. She was sent rocketing backwards where she crashed into a tree and collapsed to the ground.

Tsukiumi landed beside her and placed two fingers on her exposed sekirei crest. "Well spring of my heart; wash away all threats to my ashikabi." With her norita spoken the crest vanished.

"N… no… for… give… master," he girl called out before falling unconscious.

With her foe beaten she looked up to see if Musubi needed help. She gasped to see Musubi in a block of ice and the other sekirei standing in front of her ashikabi. "Minato!" She raced to get to him but knew it would be too late."

XXXXXXXXXX

Minato held Ku-chan protectively and backed up until he was up against a tree. The other sekirei merely looked at him, calm and resolute. "I don't want to hurt you," Akizu told him. "Please give me number 108 or I will have to freeze you."

"Ku-chan doesn't want to go with you or your ashikabi," Minato said.

"That doesn't matter," Akizu replied.

The ground beneath Minato's feet froze solid. As he began to shiver Ku-chan stirred awake.

"It... it's all… alriiight, Ku... Ku-chaaan," he stuttered as he felt the chill enter his body. "I'll pr… proteeeect you."

Not looking scared in the least the little girl reached up and put her face near his. "Oniichan, please be Ku's ashikabi, now and forever."

She kissed him.

Light in the shape of wings appeared and a sekirei crest formed. All around flowers bloomed within the vegetation.

Seeing this happen right before her eyes Akizu stopped the freezing process and collapsed despondently to her knees. "I failed you master."

"Bitch! I will kill you for threatening Minato!" Tsukiumi screamed in righteous fury.

"Tsukiumi-san wait! It's over! There's no more need to fight!" Minato shouted.

Tsukiumi looked unbelievingly at her ashikabi. "Minato she would have hurt you!"

"She was just fighting for her ashikabi the same way you and Musubu were doing. Since she's stopped fighting there's no reason to hurt her anymore."

"No," Akizu called resignedly. "Go ahead, kill me, I'd rather die than be abandoned again."

"What are you talking about?" Minato said in horror. "You can go back to your ashikabi; no one's going to stop you."

"I no longer have an ashikabi," she told him. Her face was cast down and she seemed defeated. "He told me that if I failed to retrieve number 108 not to bother to return."

"That's heartless!" Minato said. "You two share a special bond right? Maybe he'll change his mind if you go and see him."

"No," Akizu said. "Hayato-sama is not the sort to ever change his mind. There is no bond between us; I served him because he gave me a home and a purpose. Now I am alone again."

"But you're his sekirei! How can there not be a bond between you?"

"She's a scrap number," Tsukiumi said. "She was a test subject used to perfect the winging process. That's why she has a sekirei crest on her forehead rather than on her neck. Unfortunately for her that means she can't be winged, she can't have the usual bond with an ashikabi, or use a norita."

"What's a norita?"

"It's a special ritual prayer that only winged sekirei can use. It allows us to access a special power and to remove an enemy's crest if we are in physical contact as we speak it." She nodded over to the unconscious form of her beaten enemy. "That's how I finished her."

"Your sekirei is correct," Akizu said. "I am nothing but a scrap number, an outdated and antiquated piece of equipment that belongs on the junk heap. I am alone and without purpose, death would be better than that."

"Don't say that!" Minato said. "I know how miserable it can be to be all alone! Before I met Tsukiumi-san I spent two whole years alone without any real friends or girlfriend. But just because you're alone now doesn't mean you always will be. Even if you can't be winged so what? Regular human beings can't be either and we live our lives just fine. You're a living person; don't think of yourself as junk! Your life has meaning! Don't give up on it just because you've hit a hard patch. If you just try I know your life will get better, I promise you."

Still sitting on the ground Akizu looked up at him questioningly. "You really believe that?"

"I do," he said firmly.

"I wish Hayato-sama had been more like you."

"Then why don't you become Minato-sama's sekirei?" Musubi, finally free, said as she came over. "Minato-sama is a wonderful ashikabi; you would definitely like him better than your old one."

"Hey! What the hell are you talking about?!" Tsukiumi snapped. "He's already got three!"

"But four would be even better!"Musubi said. "She doesn't have an ashikabi of her own anymore and she's really powerful and we have plenty of room at the house. It would be wonderful. What do you think Minato-sama?"

Akizu looked at him hopefully.

Minato knew there was only one answer. He just couldn't look the other way if someone needed help. "What's your name?"

"I am Akizu," she said.

"Well Akizu my name is Sahashi Minato. I really don't know what sort of ashikabi I am, but if you want I'll be yours."

She slowly rose to her feet. "I would like that." As Tsukiumi glowered and Musubi cheered she leaned over and placed a soft kiss on his lips. Unlike his other sekirei there was no new crest and no light appeared. But for Akizu the ceremony had every bit as much meaning as it did for them. "I pledge to you my faith and unquestioning loyalty, now and forever."

"Grrr, fine! But let's get the ground rules set right now!" Tsukiumi said irritation ripe in her voice.

"Ground rules?" Akizu asked in that steady tone of hers.

"Yes ground rules! First off I am the legal wife! The kid there," she nodded to Kusano who was again fast asleep in Minato's arms. "Will be Minato's new little sister, he already has one so having one more shouldn't be a problem. You and Musubi are both concubines!"

Akizu lifted a single questioning eyebrow. "I am a concubine?"

"That's right!" Tsukiumi snapped. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"No," she replied calmly and turned to face Minato. Reaching up she undid the snaps to her dress and allowed it to fall to the ground. She was not wearing a bra or panties. "Master, please feel free to use this body however you wish, as often as you wish."

Blood shot from Minato's nose and he had to struggle to keep from passing out with Ku-chan still in his arms.

Tsukiumi turned a deep shade of red and jumped in front to hide her figure from Minato's view. "Wha… what are you doing you shameless woman?!"

"I am behaving in my new role as concubine," Akizu replied calmly.

"That's not what a concubine does!"

"I think perhaps you do not understand the term. A concubine's main function is to provide a man comfort and sex upon demand."

"What's sex?" Musubi asked curiously.

Akizu turned to her to reply.

"Don't you dare answer that!" Tsukiumi screamed.

Struggling from momentary blood loss Minato looked on the scene while trying not to pass out. "Akizu please put your clothes back on so we can go." _Man, I really hope I don't get any more sekirei for awhile._


	8. A Rival

"Oniichan! Who's the little girl?" Yukari asked staring at the child who was peacefully asleep being carried on his back. "And who is she?" Yukari stared at the weird woman with a tattoo on her forehead.

"My name is Akizu," the woman replied. "I am the master's new sekirei; I will also be acting in the role of concubine."

'Concubine?' Yukari only mouthed the word.

"Musubi is a concubine too!"

Yukari shook her head. "Oniichan I don't even know you anymore. How many women do you _need_? I mean seriously are you trying to make up for lost time or something? And who is that little girl? I swear if you really have become a lollicon I'm calling the police and then I'm calling mom."

"Her name is Kusano, or just Ku-chan, she was abandoned and so I'm going to take care of her like a little sister. Akizu was abandoned too so she'll be staying with us as well." A weary Minato said as he carefully put Ku-chan down on the sofa. "Tsukiumi-san could you please assign them rooms and make sure Ku-chan gets something to eat? I'm feeling really tired, I think I'll take a bath and turn in."

Tsukiumi nodded. "Leave it to me Minato; I will take care of everything."

"Thanks," he reached over and placed a soft kiss on her cheek.

She blushed deeply. While she loved his affection she was still very shy about such things where people could see.

Minato was usually just as modest in public, but right now he had things on his mind.

XXXXXXXXXX

**Flashback**

"I am afraid we can't leave yet Minato," Tsukiumi told him.

"Huh? Why not?"

Tsukiumi nodded to the unconscious form of the woman she had beaten. "We just need to wait for M.B.I. to come pick her up. It is a common courtesy all sekirei extend to one another."

"M.B.I. is coming for her?" Minato asked. "What are they going to do with her?"

"They will take her out of the game," Tsukiumi said. "She lost and had her sekirei crest was removed. That means she can no longer participate in the Sekirei Plan." Tsukiumi looked at the woman with sympathy. "She can also never be with her ashikabi again."

"What? Wait a minute Tsukiumi, what do you mean by that? Why can't she be with her ashikabi?"

"Because she lost," Tsukiumi answered. "In this game Minato there are two ways for a sekirei to lose. One is to suffer a certain amount of physical damage; the other is to have an opponent recite a norita while touching your crest. If either happens your crest vanishes and M.B.I. comes to collect you."

"And?" Minato questioned. "What happens then?"

Tsukiumi shrugged. "I don't know, but once you lose you can never be with your ashikabi again."

His eyes widened at the obvious implication. "Tsukiumi-san, does that mean if you were to be beaten…"

She slowly nodded. "If I lose Minato I would have to leave your side… forever."

Just the thought of losing her made his heart begin to ache.

Above them they heard the whirring of an M.B.I. helicopter.

"Now we can go," Tsukiumi said and quickly set off.

Minato and his other sekirei followed. He felt deeply troubled and worried about the future.

XXXXXXXXXX

Tsukiumi had stocked the kitchen to help deal with the bottomless pit that was Musubi's stomach. She still didn't know how to cook but Yukari agreed to whip something up. She then assigned rooms to Kusano and Akizu on the second floor, as far from the master bedroom as possible. With that done she was finally able to retire for the night.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Are you all right Minato? You seem rather quiet." She was dressed in her usual white silk teddy as she exited the private bath. She liked it when they bathed together and scrubbed each other's backs. The fact he had wanted to wash up alone had bothered her slightly. Stepping out of the bath she expected him to be eying her hungrily as he always did when she was dressed like this. Tonight though he was just lying there staring up at the ceiling. He hadn't even noticed her.

That worried her.

She hurried over and climbed into bed beside him. "Minato, you… you're not still thinking about Akizu's body are you?"

He looked over at her startled. "What?"

"My breasts are _much _bigger than hers and my body is far more feminine, so please do not think about her."

"Tsukiumi-san it's not that I swear. You are the only woman I ever think about that way."

"Really?" She asked shyly.

"Really," he said. He put his arms around her and pulled his wife into a tight embrace beneath the covers. "I love you Tsukiumi-san, I love you so much."

"I love you too Minato."

As he held her he pressed his face to her shoulder and she could feel him shaking slightly. It took her a couple minutes to realize he was weeping.

"Minato, why on earth are you crying?" She gently wiped away his tears.

"I was just thinking what it would be like to lose you Tsukiumi-san. I imagine you beaten and unconscious as the helicopters come. If I picture it my heart aches so badly I can barely stand it. I love you so much Tsukiumi-san. To me you are my one and only darling wife and I couldn't bear to lose you."

"You really do have the kindest heart Minato." Looking at him she smiled gently and wiped away fresh tears. "There is no need for tears my beloved husband. I intend to be the strongest sekirei so that I will never lose and never be taken from your side. I will definitely become the strongest, so you do not have to worry."

"Tsukiumi-san, I don't want you or the others to have to fight again. I don't care about the prize or this stupid game. I just want to be able to protect all of you so that we can live in peace."

"You know Minato not too long ago the only thing I wanted was to fight and prove my own strength as a sekirei. I never imagined I would ever say this, but I think I would like that too. To just live with you in peace as your wife." _I could do without the other sekirei though. _"All I really want now is to be with you."

"Then let's stop fighting," Minato pleaded. "Let's get out of the Sekirei Plan."

"That would be impossible Minato."

"But, why?"

"Because we sekirei have to fight, it's what we are meant for."

"I don't believe that," Minato said. "Didn't you just say you'd be happier if we could just live together in peace? Kusano and Akizu both just want a place where they won't be alone again. Musubi… well she does seem to really like fighting."

"Even if we wanted to stop participating in the Sekirei Plan it would never be allowed by M.B.I."

"Why not?" Minato demanded. "You and the others are people with your own lives you should be able to do what you want."

"That is _not _how Minaka sees it. In his eyes we are his property pure and simple. Property he has invested years and billions into in order to bring the Sekirei Plan to reality. In his eyes we have no right to simply choose not to fight. If we tried such a thing he would come after us, both with his private army and with the disciplinary squad."

"What's that?"

"A select unit if three sekirei. They do not participate in the game; rather they serve as Minaka's elite strike force. Anyone who defies him will face death at their hands."

"Wait! He'd _kill _you just for trying to leave this insane game?"

"We are the slaves of M.B.I." Tsukiumi said. "Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say we are his toys."

"I can't accept that, I can't accept that you and the others are being treated as property!"

"There is nothing that you can do Minato," she grinned at him trying to improve his mood. "Well, short of leading a revolt and killing the Director."

He looked at her in alarm. "Kill! Tsukiumi-san I could never…"

"I was joking Minato." She caressed his cheek and brought her soft lips near his. "Don't be afraid my husband, and don't shed any more tears. I will become the strongest sekirei in this world and I will never leave you."

"Do you promise?"

"Yes my husband, I promise."

Feeling a little relieved he kissed her and slid a hand beneath her lingerie.

Tsukiumi felt the delicious heat fill her and took pleasure at what his hands were beginning to do.

That was when there was a sudden knock at the bedroom door. "Oniichan!" Kusano called out as the door opened.

Instinctively the couple separated beneath the sheets. They both looked nervously at the young girl standing by the open door.

"Hey! What do you think you are doing?" Tsukiumi demanded.

Minato placed a calming hand on her arm. "It's okay Tsukiumi, no need to be upset." He then turned to the little girl. "What is it Ku-chan? Is something wrong?"

The child looked to be on the verge of tears. "I'm scared to sleep alone. Can I stay with you oniichan? Please?"

Smiling he rubbed the back of his head. "Sure, but just this once okay?"

"What?" Tsukiumi said not believing it. "You want to let another woman into our bed?"

"Woman? She's just a little girl."

"She's a rival."

"Tsukiumi, please?"

"Grrr, fine," she huffed. "But _only _for tonight."

Smiling Minato patted the space between him and his wife. "Come on Ku-chan, its fine."

"Yeah!" She shouted happily and ran over, jumping onto his bed and burrowing beneath the sheets. She happily settled onto Minato's chest, easily blocking a very annoyed Tsukiumi. "I love you oniichan!"

Laughing he gave the sweet girl a comforting hug. "I love you too Ku-chan."

"Oniichan, when I'm older please make me your wife!"

"What?!" Tsukiumi roared.

Ku-chan turned her head to her and stuck out her tongue. "Bleh!"

Minato was only just able to keep a fight from erupting.


	9. A Friend of Musubi's

"Why am I the one who has to do the cooking?" Yukari complained as she set breakfast on the table.

"I am sorry Yukari but you are the only one here who knows how to cook." Tsukiumi answered off handedly. She was distracted by Kusano's efforts to feed her husband. She and the little girl were each sitting on either side of him.

"Musubi knows how to make curry!" She said excitedly.

"Who eats curry for breakfast?" Yukari asked. "Can you make anything else?"

"No."

"What about you oniichan? I mean you were a bachelor living on your own for a couple of years. You must know how to make _something._"

"I can make instant ramen and toast."

"Useless," she muttered. "Well what about the weird girl? You know the one with the tattoo on her forehead?"

"What about me?" Akizu said as she entered the dining room.

"Do you know how to… ack!"

"What is, 'ack'?"

"Don't look Ku-chan!" Minato covered the little girl's eyes even as blood shot from his nose.

Tsukiumi leapt to her feet. "Wha… what are you doing you shameless woman?!"

"I came down to have breakfast," she replied in her usual dispassionate voice.

"Why are you naked?!"

"Am I?" She looked down at herself. "I guess I forgot to dress."

XXXXXXXXXX

"All right all of you buy as many clothes as you want. And you," Tsukiumi looked directly at Akizu. "Make sure to buy plenty of underwear!"

"Can we really buy as much as we want?" Yukari said her eyes glistening. They were in Tokyo's largest mall which included several high end department stores that sold Gucci, Prada, and other high end brands.

"Obviously," Tsukiumi said.

"I don't have my V.I.P. card with me," Akizu stated. "I'll have to get a replacement sent out."

"Ku-chan doesn't have one either."

"Musubi has hers!" Musubi proudly displayed hers for all to see.

"Wait a minute!" Yukari called out. "How do you have a V.I.P. card? And you," she looked at Akizu. "How do you rate one?"

"I am a sekirei," she answered plainly.

"What the hell is a sekirei?!" Yukari demanded.

"I am sorry Yukari, but that's not something we can explain." Tsukiumi answered. "Musubi, you and Akizu shop together. Yukari and Kusano will shop with me. We'll meet back here in two hours."

"But…" Yukari tried to continue.

"Let's go," Tsukiumi grabbed her by one sleeve and began pulling her along.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Seo quit?" Minato said in disbelief. The construction project had reopened and he had come here hoping to see Seo and thank him for his help in freeing Ku-chan.

"That's right," the foreman told him. "It's not surprising, his sort are always drifting from one job to another."

Minato could say nothing. The truth was he really didn't know much about Seo at all, besides the fact he was an ashikabi with two sekirei. He didn't have his phone number or address; now that they no longer worked at the same place he might never see him again. "Well I hope Seo is all right wherever he is."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Achoo!" Seo sneezed.

"Are you catching a cold you piece of trash?" Miya asked with a polite smile.

"You really have no soul do you?" Seo asked annoyed. "You could at least pretend to care." He regretted his words almost instantly as the image of a wicked demon seemed to materialize above the woman's head.

"Are you complaining about my treatment of you?"

"No! Of course not, never," he replied quickly.

"Gomen," Hikari said bowing.

"Gomen," Hibiki said also bowing. It filled both sekirei with shame to have to come here begging for food because their worthless ashikabi had yet again failed to provide for them. Each sekirei shouldered a couple twenty pound bags of rice.

Seo wasn't carrying anything.

"Seo! Why can't you have a little bit of pride and actually hold onto a job for awhile?" Hikari shouted.

"Pride is highly overrated." He said with a smug grin.

A bolt of lightning struck him from out of the blue.

XXXXXXXXXX

Yukari was in high spirits. She was riding in the back of a luxury limo with several bags stuffed full of the latest French and Italian fashions. She still wasn't sure what to make of the innocent Musubi, the oblivious (and weird) Akizu, or little Kusano. (Just how or why was her brother taking care of an orphaned child? Was he actually adopting her or what?) Truth be told she was still amazed by the fact Tsukiumi was her sister in law. Honestly she thought Tsukiumi was _way _too good for him. Even if she did have a short temper the woman was extraordinarily beautiful and rich. Her brother should have fallen to his knees with gratitude that she would even look at him, never mind actually marry him.

Instead he brought _concubines _into the home oneesan had bought for him. And more amazing still rather than throw him out as he deserved Tsukiumi actually allowed these women to live under her roof.

_Just how on earth did oniichan manage that? _She wondered. _If he ever drives Tsukiumi away I'll definitely have to kill him. _After all, what girl could resist the chance to go on such amazing shopping trips?

"What did you buy oneesan?" Yukari asked. "You only got one bag."

Tsukiumi's face turned a deep crimson. "It's nothing," she insisted and held the bag closer to herself.

She noticed the label on the bag, it was written in English. "Fredericks of Hollywood? I don't think I've heard of them before." She of course noted the change in Tsukiumi's complexion. "Just what sort of clothes do they sell?"

"They specialize in women's lingerie," Akizu said when Tsukiumi failed to answer. "I bought a great many items there as well."

Yukari chuckled a little. "A little something for my brother?"

"I don't know what you mean," Tsukiumi said defensively.

XXXXXXXXXX

When the limo arrived at the gates of the castle a woman was standing there patiently waiting. She had grayish black hair done up in a long ponytail, a grey jacket draped around her shoulders and a sword resting on her hip. Seeing the women exit the limo she smiled pleasantly.

"Hello Mu-chan, it's good to see you again." The woman called out.

"Karasuba!" Musubi hurried over and embraced the woman.

"As rambunctious as ever I see," Karasuba said sounding amused. She carefully eyed the other women stepping out of the limousine. "Are you going to introduce me to your friends?"

"Yes! These are Yukari, Ku-chan, Akizu, and Tsukiumi. Except for Yukari we are all Minato-sama's sekirei!"

"And is your ashikabi here now? I would be very interested to meet him."

Sadly Musubi shook her head. "No, I am afraid Minato-sama won't be back from work until later."

"And is he what you hoped for?" Karasuba asked curiously. "Do you feel love when you are with him?"

"Yes! Musubi can feel her ashikabi-sama's warm and gentle heart. He is very kind and very caring! Musubi is very happy to be his sekirei and his concubine!"

"Concubine?" Karasuba lifted an amused eyebrow. "Well now, isn't that interesting?" She smiled at the others. "It looks like he is building himself quite a flock of sekirei."

Feeling annoyed by all this Tsukiumi began to march forward when Akizu grabbed her sleeve and whispered over to her. "Be very careful with this one, she's dangerous."

"Why? Who is she?"

"Number four, the black sekirei, and commander of the disciplinary squad."

Tsukiumi felt a slight chill go through her. She knew all about the disciplinary squad, all sekirei did, and number four had an especially fearsome reputation. Nevertheless she straightened her back and approached the two of them. "My name is Tsukiumi, sekirei number nine, as both the owner and as Minato's legitimate wife I would like to know your business here."

Karasuba sent her an easy relaxed grin. "I just wanted to look up an old friend and see how she was doing. That's all."

"Are you an unwinged sekirei?" Tsukiumi demanded. "If so you will have to leave here before Minato's return."

"It sounds like you're very possessive of your ashikabi," she noted. She turned about and moved her hair out of the way to reveal a sekirei crest. "No need to worry I've already been taken."

"Karasuba! You finally have an ashikabi! How wonderful! Do you love him?"

She gave Musubi a huge smile. "No, not even a bit. But Natsuo at least has the positive of being polite and a bit charming. I can tolerate him pretty well."

"Does that mean nothing has changed?" Musubi asked sadly.

"Of course not, in fact the main reason I came here was to confirm the promise we made to each other."

"Oh Musubi hasn't forgotten! Musubi will definitely get really, really strong so that she and Karasuba will be the last two."

"Good," Karasuba said pleasantly. "Then we'll fight and decide whose philosophy is right and whose is wrong. Don't let me down now Mu-chan, I'm really looking forward to that day."

She began to walk away. "Oh, and one more thing, Mu-chan."

"Yes?"

"The second stage will begin soon; you and your friends should really train hard. Things will be getting very interesting."

XXXXXXXXXX

They were all sitting down to dinner. Minato was of course present with Tsukiumi to one side and Kusano to the other.

"The food is really delicious Akizu!" Minato complimented. "I had no idea you were such a good cook."

"In M.B.I. tower I had a great deal of free time so I learned a great many things," she replied stoically. "I will be quite happy to do all the cooking for you master."

The chopsticks on Tsukiumi's hands suddenly snapped.

"Uh, you don't need to call me master," Minato said a little nervously. "Just Minato will do fine."

"Yes, master."

Seeing Tsukiumi glaring furiously across the table at the calm woman Minato tried to change the subject. "So what does this, 'second stage' mean?" He glanced at Yukari. "Or is it something we can't talk about right now?"

"I'm not really sure what the second stage will involve," Tsukiumi admitted.

"Neither does Musubi."

"There are currently 108 freed sekirei," Akizu said in her usual monotone. "When only ten remain unwinged M.B.I. will take full control of the city and shut its borders to prevent any sekirei or ashikabi from leaving. The whole city will become an ideal battleground."

"How do you know that?" Tsukiumi asked. She herself had only been told the very basics.

Akizu shrugged. "Like I said I had a lot of free time, I learned a lot of things."

"What are all of you talking about?" Yukari asked bewildered. "How could a corporation take over a city? And a battleground?"

"I'm sorry Yukari, but…" Minato began.

"You can't tell me," she finished for him. "You know I'm starting to get real tired of hearing that. And I still don't know what sekirei are. That woman, Karasuba, she was one too right? All of you are sekirei, what does that mean? Are you part of some secret organization?"

"Please hold onto your curiosity just a little while longer," Akizu said. "Your questions will be answered very soon."

"What do you mean Akizu?" Minato asked.

"When stage two begins the truth will be revealed to the whole world, there will be no more need for secrets."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Do you think the sign is a little much?" Minato asked.

He was already in bed waiting on his wife who was in the private bath changing. At some point during the day she'd had heavy bolt locks installed in their bedroom door and a sign nailed onto the outside of it.

'Minato and Tsukiumi's master bedroom. ALL OTHERS KEEP OUT!'

"There is nothing wrong in setting boundaries for people," she called from the bathroom. "As a married couple there is no reason for anyone else to come in here."

"What do you think about this second stage? Do you think things will become more dangerous?"

"Obviously," she replied. "But there is nothing for you to fear Minato. No matter how dangerous I will handle it."

"What about this Karasuba? You made it sound like the disciplinary squad was made up of very dangerous people. Is it all right that Musubi is friends with one of them?"

"Sekirei make friends with other sekirei," she answered. "Even though we much fight and only one of us can be left standing at the end it is only natural that we should form relationships with each other. Until the day comes where we have to fight her it shouldn't be a problem."

He heard the light in the bath click off and the door swing open. Tsukiumi stepped out where he could see her. Her breasts were struggling with a black leather bra. She had on a tiny matching leather bottom that was overlapped with a garter belt. Covering her legs were silky black nylons.

Seeing him staring she began to blush and press her fingers together nervously. "Ah, I saw this in a store, and, well, I thought you might like it. Do you?"

Minato tried to answer as a geyser of blood shot from his nose.

After the blood flow was halted he spent most of the night showing her just how much he liked it.


	10. Please be gentle

"You do know this is pointless don't you?" Akizu said in her usual reserved tone. "You abilities are completely useless against mine."

"Shut up!" Tsukiumi shouted furiously. "I will definitely beat you!" Out of thin air she sent a wave of water straight at her opponent.

With a weary sigh Akizu waved her hand turning the water into a vast wall of ice.

"Ooh! Akizu is so amazing! Musubi wants to fight her next!"

"I am training against her now," Tsukiumi said in an annoyed voice. "You train with Kusano."

"But Ku-chan in playing with Spot," Musubi said disappointed.

Looking over Tsukiumi could see the little girl had the kitten they had recently adopted in her lap. She was rubbing the top of his head as he purred happily. "Kusano! Now is not the time for that! You need to train seriously and increase your power!"

"How come?" Ku asked.

"You are one of Minato's sekirei, that means you may have to protect him from other sekirei. It is our responsibility to get as strong as possible to better serve and protect him."

"I'm hungry," Ku-chan said.

"Musubi is hungry too!"

"You're always hungry!" Tsukiumi complained.

"I'll make lunch," Akizu said and began heading inside. The other two followed with Ku placing Spot on top of her head.

"Hey! We're not done with practice!" Tsukiumi shouted.

XXXXXXXXXX

_Why did oneesan make me leave? _Yukari wondered. Tsukiumi had given her a wad of cash and instructions to just have fun for a few hours before coming home again. She wasn't exactly upset, but she didn't understand what was going on in that house.

It was obvious something was.

Her worthless oniichan had somehow gotten married to a rich hot tempered beauty who had gone out and bought a whole castle for him. That, all by itself, would have been unbelievable. But then he had brought home not one but _two _lovers. One who seemed to have no clue what went on between a man and a woman and one who had a weird tattoo on her forehead and called him, 'master.' And there was Ku-chan, the abandoned child who was living with them and calling her brother oniichan. She had no idea if the girl had any family or how exactly her brother had become responsible for her or if he and Tsukiumi were just taking care of her or going to adopt her. And everyone acted like this was _normal. _Even oniichan seemed to be more or less okay with it.

And there was one other thing that bugged her. All four women were, 'sekirei' and all had M.B.I. V.I.P. cards with unlimited balances. Akizu and Ku-chan had received theirs by special messenger. How on earth did a little kid get access to that kind of money? Even if she came from a wealthy background surely she would have her wealth put in trust, not just handed to her. And Musubi and Akizu, why would they be satisfied being 'kept' women if they had the money to buy whatever they wanted? And what the hell did they mean they were wagtails? Were they part of some super rich cult? More importantly, if they were how did she join?

She was walking along the busy street in her designer outfit when she suddenly came to a halt. There, standing before her, was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. An adorable young boy of perhaps 14 or 15 was standing there looking about timidly. He was dressed up in the cutest little outfit with shorts and knee high socks, his skin was like porcelain, his hair a dark shade of silver, and his eyes were the color of ripe wheat.

_Gah! A bishounen! What a cutie! _Instinctively she wanted to hit him over the head and drag him back to her room. _Heh, heh, come with me and let me corrupt you! _She smiled and began rubbing her hands together.

The boy suddenly turned in her direction and noticed her. "He… hello."

_Gah! SO KAWAI! _Blood shot out of her nose and she collapsed there on the street.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Tha… thank you for feeding me, I was really hungry."

"Oh no problem! It's just my way of thanking you for helping me when I passed out."

He looked at her worriedly. "Are you all right? You lost a lot of blood."

"I'm fine I promise!"

"Does this happen to you a lot? Getting nose bleeds like that?"

"I wouldn't say a lot, usually it's just when I'm looking at certain pictures."

"Pictures?" He asked innocently.

"Never mind! Never mind! Forget I said anything!"

The boy slowly nodded and got back to eating. After their embarrassing meeting with his kneeling over as she pressed a hadn to her nose, she had brought him to this restaurant to try and make up for things. She'd had no idea he'd be so hungry though, he was way too well dressed to be homeless. "When was the last time you ate?"

"Two days ago," he said.

"Two days?! What, why?"

He smiled at her embarrassed. "It's my own fault. I left to try and find my sister without thinking about things like how I was going to pay for food."

"Wait! You ran away from home to look for your sister?"

The boy nodded. "Ku left and I'm worried about her, I want to make sure she's all right."

"Ku?" _No way it couldn't be. _"By any chance would she be a little girl about seven or eight with long blonde hair and green eyes about this tall?"

"Yes! Have you seen her? Do you know where she is?"

"Heh, actually yeah, I know exactly where she is."

The boy reached out and took hold of her hands, his eyes looking at her with desperation and with hope. "Please take me to her! Please! I'll do **anything** if you'll bring me to where she is! Anything!"

Her nose stared to spout blood again.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Shiina!"

"Ku!" He held pout his arms and the little girl ran into them. "I'm so glad I found you! I've been so worried."

"I missed you too Shiina-kun!" Kusano said happily. The two of them had been reunited with everyone else present looking on. Turning in his arms she looked at Minato. "Oniichan, can Shiina stay here with us, please?"

Minato nodded happily. "Sure he can."

"Thank you sir, I promise I won't cause any problems. I am sekirei number 107, the death sekirei, Shiina."

"Death sekirei?" Minato questioned.

Shiina nodded. "My powers make whatever I am near wither and die; they're the exact opposite of Ku's powers. That's why we were always paired together."

"Before I met my ashikabi-kun, I wasn't able to really control my powers. Shiina-kun would make all the extra plant life go away."

"I see, well…"

"HOLD IT!"

Minato cut off and everyone turned to stare at Yukari. She looked very upset.

"What is it Yukari?"

"He's a sekirei too?! All right I have had it! Explain to me what the hell a sekirei is! And explain to me all the weird stuff that goes on around this place too."

"Yukari you know I can't do that," Minato said.

She pulled out her cell phone and stared hitting numbers. "Fine, in that case I'm calling mom and telling her about you being married and living with all these girls."

"Yukari please don't! I'm begging you!"

"Then spill! Tell me everything!"

Minato hung his head defeated. "All right, but you should sit down this is going to take awhile."

XXXXXXXXXX

When her brother began explaining the truth she at first thought he'd been telling her some ridiculous lie. Honestly, superpowers? A spaceship? Aliens? Who in their right mind would believe any of that? But then she had watched as Tsukiumi created a ball of water from thin air, as Akizu transformed it to ice, as Musubi lifted the couch with one hand. As unbelievable as the story was she couldn't deny the truth in front of her.

"So now do you understand why you have to keep this a secret?" Minato pleaded. "If it gets out that I told you your life and mine will be in danger."

"And if you put Minato's life in danger I will definitely won't forgive you!" Tsukiumi announced.

"Wait, so you're all aliens? And aliens with super powers?" Tsukiumi and the others nodded. "Even you?" She asked Shiina.

"Is… is that a problem Yukari-san? Do you… not like me because of that?" He asked her shyly.

"What? No! Of course I like you! I mean I like oneesan and Ku-chan and everyone else. It's just a little bit of a shock, you know?"

"I'm glad," he slowly approached her. His eyes were looking up into hers. "Yukari-san I think… I think I'm yours."

"Mi… mine?" She could feel her temperature rise and her heart beating like crazy as the beautiful boy came right up to her.

"I want to belong to you Yukari-san, I want to be your sekirei. Please give me your mark and claim me." He shut his eyes and closed his lips waiting.

Blood shot from her nose and she collapsed.

XXXXXXXXXX

When she came to again she was lying on her bed with Shiina sitting there at her side. The two of them were alone in her room.

"Do you feel better Yukari-san?"

"Ah, yeah thanks." She replied nervously.

Shiina cast his eyes down to avoid hers. "So, do you not want me?"

"What?"

"Do you not want me to be your sekirei?"

"Well… well sure I do, it's just that, well…"

"Yes?"

"Well, we've only just met. How can you be sure you want me to be your, ah, what's it called again?"

"Ashikabi," he supplied. "I talked to the others. Musubi, Akizu, and Ku all knew they wanted to be with Minato at their very first meeting. Tsukiumi knew too, but waited until her second time meeting him. They each felt it in their hearts that Minato was the one they wanted to be with." He placed a hand lightly on his chest. "That's how my heart feels when I look at you. I want to be with Yukari-san, I really like you."

"I like you too Shiina, but… ah, Tsukiumi treats Minato like a husband."

Shiina nodded. "Yes?" He asked innocently

Yukari could feel her face heating. _Damn, now I __**really **__want to corrupt him. _"Ah, what I mean is, is, if you were my sekirei would we… be like that?"

"If you want," he told her. "If you make me yours I will pledge my heart, my soul, and my body to you. It would make me very happy to do anything you want."

She clamped a hand to her nose to prevent a fresh torrent of blood.

"Okay, I've decided. I'll be your ashikabi. So, what do I have to do?"

Shiina closed his eyes. "Simply give me your mark and I am yours."

"This… this is my first kiss," she said and gently touched her lips to his.

To her astonishment she watched as wings of light appeared around him.

Shiina felt a wonderful heat consume him as he was winged. He let out a content sigh as the kiss ended. "We will be together, now and forever."

"Yeah we will!" Giving into the urges she'd been feeling since first seeing him she grabbed him and pulled him roughly into bed. "Prepare to be corrupted!"

"Please be gentle with me!" Shiina cried out.


	11. The Second Phase

"Do you like my outfit Minato-sama?" Musubi asked and did a little twirl for him. She and Akizu were both dressed in French maid uniforms with black stockings. As Musubi twirled about she revealed she was wearing black panties as well.

Minato felt a trickle of blood flowing down from his nose. "Ah, it's… really cute, I definitely like it. But why are you and Akizu wearing them?"

"Tsukiumi seems to think it would be appropriate," Akizu said indifferently.

Musubi nodded eagerly. "Tsukiumi says that since we are the concubines we should be the ones to do all the, 'menial labor.'" She smiled at him. "Does that mean Musubi-chan will get to wash Minato-sama's back?"

Minato clamped a hand to his nose as the blood flow picked up.

Yukari leaned over to Shiina with a naughty look on her face. "I'm buying you a sailor suit."

The boy gulped.

Tsukiumi glared at Musubi. "That is not what I meant my menial labor!"

Akizu raised a questioning eyebrow. "Do you want the two of us to service the master in bed? Are you tired of doing that yourself?"

Tsukiumi began to shake and literally spit with rage.

Blood gushed from Minato's nose and he collapsed.

XXXXXXXXXX

When Minato came to he was lying on a couch in front of one of the big screen t.v.'s with everyone gathered around him.

"Mi… na… to," Tsukiumi ground out. "Just _what_ were you thinking about?"

"Nothing I swear!"

"The master was probably imagining a threesome," Akizu pointed out calmly. "If that is your wish master you only have to command it."

"What's a threesome?" Musubi asked.

"Shut up both of you!" Tsukiumi screamed. "And you!" She pointed an accusing finger at him. "Get such disgusting thoughts out of your mind! I am the wife! You may do anything you like with me but only with me!"

Before a pale Minato could answer the morning news report on the t.v. suddenly vanished to be replaced by the grinning image of M.B.I. chairman Minaka.

"Ladies and gentlemen of Tokyo! I am Hiroto Minaka of M.B.I., and I have an announcement to make. As of this moment M.B.I. will be occupying Tokyo! A new age of gods is dawning!"

"So it's begun," Akizu said. "The second phase."

Minato looked at her worried. She didn't usually sound worried about things. "Musubi's friend mentioned something about that, what exactly does the 'second phase' mean?"

"It means Tokyo will become an open battlefield," Akizu explained. "Only ten sekirei remain unwinged at this point. From here on out there is no need to disguise our existence, all sekirei will be free to fight each other using their full power under any circumstance. In fact I expect many ashikabi will begin aggressively seeking out battle in order to lower the numbers. Battles will become much more frequent and the danger of ambush far greater."

"But that's awful!" Yukari said. "I don't want Shiina to be in danger!" She possessively grabbed him and held him close to her.

Minato nodded. "I feel exactly the same way; I don't want any of you to be hurt." He turned his eyes to look worriedly at Tsukiumi.

Seeing the worried look on his face made her blush slightly. It felt good to know he worried about her. "Hmph," she said and crossed her arms over her ample chest. "There is no avoiding danger if you are sekirei, we exist to fight!" Looking at Minato she softened her stance a bit. "I've told you Minato, you have nothing to worry about since I aim to be the strongest. Everything will definitely be fine."

Minato tried to smile and relax, but he couldn't help worrying.

XXXXXXXXXX

Since coming to live in Tokyo Minato had seen the occasional news helicopter flying overhead. Today though there was a constant swarm of black helicopters with the yellow letters MBI always buzzing about. People at the cram school and at work had been talking about the sudden change and wondering exactly what it meant. But except for the helicopters things seemed to still be the same. All the usual businesses were open, traffic was the same as always, and so far as he could tell all the same laws were still in effect.

XXXXXXXXXX

From a nearby building Tsukiumi watched as her husband finished his work day. She felt the approach of another sekirei and turned around ready to fight. When she saw the familiar figure of Homura land on the roof top she did not relax. "Have you come here for us to have our last battle Homura?"

"Last battle?" He questioned.

"The second phase has begun and that means many sekirei will be attacking others to eliminate them!"

Homura held his hands up before him. "As the guardian of sekirei it would be a little contradictory for me to start eliminating them now wouldn't it?"

Tsukiumi slowly relaxed her posture. "Hmmm, I suppose so, but that doesn't mean that one day we will not have to fight and fight to a conclusion."

"Well I can't deny that it's a real possibility, but let's save that for another day, shall we?"

"Very well," she said and returned to her spot by the roof's edge.

Homura came over to join her. "Are you spying on your ashikabi again?"

"It's not spying! I just want to make sure my husband is safe! He is an ashikabi after all, who knows what might happen?"

"I wouldn't be too worried," Homura said. "This phase is about sekirei's fighting one another; the ashikabis should be left out of it." He looked at her closely.

"What?"

"You're really worried about him aren't you? You're completely in love with him."

Blushing like mad she crossed her arms. "There… there's nothing wrong with that! A wife should love her husband!"

"I didn't say there was, truthfully I'm… a little jealous of you. You have that special connection to someone, even though you always said you didn't want it, and it's obvious you're very happy because of it."

Feeling embarrassed she broke eye contact with him and instead looked back down to where Minato was working mixing cement. "It… _he _does make me happy. He can even do it with little things. Just this morning he said he was worried about me, it… it's silly, but when he said that it made me happy."

Homura let out a wistful sigh. "I envy you."

"Do not worry! You will definitely find your ashikabi and have these same feelings."

"I'm beginning to wonder about that," he admitted. "I'm starting to think there is no one out there who _can _become my ashikabi. Maybe it's just fate; the gods have always cursed those who were of fire."

"Don't be such a weakling!" She snapped. "I won't tolerate that in my rival. Just because you have not found her yet is no reason to give up. As a matter of fact my sister in law just recently winged a male sekirei and became an ashikabi."

"Really?" Homura sounded interested.

"Would you like to meet her?"

Homura hesitated but finally nodded. "All right, why not?"

"Good! You can come over to dinner sometime this week and meet everyone."

"Come over to dinner?"

"Of course! As the lady of the house I am eager to have a friend over and be a proper hostess!"

_She used to hate the idea of even having an ashikabi, now she's wanting to host dinners parties. _Homura began chuckling. "You really don't do things halfway do you?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" She growled.

"Nothing, so when should I come over?"

XXXXXXXXXX

Minato finished with work and was heading home when there were shouts from up ahead.

Any normal person would have turned around and headed in the opposite direction away from the trouble.

So of course without thinking about it he ran to see what was going on.

What he saw was a young girl with short dirty blonde hair lying on the sidewalk with a man standing protectively over her. He was standing between her and a woman with long white veils snapping about her. Her face was hidden by part of the veil.

"Get out of the way, I don't want to hurt you." She called out.

"No! I can't do that and let you hurt Kuno!" he shouted. "Leave her alone! She's no threat to you! All we want is to live together in peace!"

The veiled sekirei listened to his plea and stood there a moment.

"I'm sorry," she said. One of her veils lashed out and caught him, sending him flying into a nearby building.

"Hey!" Minato shouted and ran to the man's aid.

Meanwhile the veiled sekirei came over to the helpless girl. The girl looked up at her with tears in her eyes. "Please…"

"I really am so sorry," the veiled sekirei answered sadly. She placed two fingers on the other girl's exposed crest. "The veil of my contract, destroy the nightmare of my Ashikabi." The girl's crest began to vanish.

"Ha… Haruka… sorry…"

"No! Kuno!" Despite clutching his side painfully he ran over to her. As he took her in his arms she was already unconscious. "Kuno! Kuno! Wake up! Please wake up and look at me!" He shook her, desperate to get some response. When her eyes remained closed he looked up bitterly at the other sekirei who was still there. "Why?! She never did anything! Why did you take her away from me?"

"Because…" she tried to answer but finally turned away.

"Hey!" Minato shouted and ran up to her. "At least answer his question! Why did you have to do that if she was no threat to you?"

The veiled sekirei turned her head in his direction. "Because it's our fate, we do it because we have to. Sekirei must fight and fight and fight, so what choice do we have?"

Minato was caught totally off guard by her answer and by her melancholy tone. He'd expected her to be some kind of wicked person who enjoyed inflicting this on others. Instead he really thought she was sorry for what she'd done. _Is that the truth? Is there really no other way?_

Without warning the veiled sekirei leaped back as a geyser of water struck the spot she'd been standing on.

"Get away from him!" Tsukiumi shouted as she landed in front of him. "Stay behind me Minato!"

_Who is she? _Whoever she was she was strong! That attack would have crushed her if she hadn't moved. Since the job was done and there was nothing to be gained by staying she took off and fled.

"Where are you going you coward?!" Tsukiumi shouted. "Stay and fight me!" She made ready to leap when Minato grabbed her arm.

"No! Tsukiumi let her go!"

"But…"

"Please Tsukiumi! I'm begging you! I don't want you to fight her!"

The fear in his voice froze her in place. "All… all right Minato, if that's what you want."

Minato looked over to where the other ashikabi was still holding his sekirei in his arms and calling to her, pleading with her to open her eyes. He could hear one of the ever present helicopters approaching and knew M.B.I. would soon take her away. And he knew that she could never be with her ashikabi again.

Tsukiumi let out a surprised gasp as Minato suddenly grabbed her and pulled her against him. Her face turned a deep crimson, she really didn't like public displays like this. "Minato, what is wrong with you?"

"Please, never leave me Tsukiumi, I couldn't bear it."

Looking at his face she could see he was crying. _Is he so worried about me? _"Foolish man," she said and gently wiped his tears. "I've already told you I'll never lose, so you have nothing to fear. I will never leave you my darling husband."

Despite her assurance he continued holding her. She found it really wasn't so bad.

XXXXXXXXXX

On a nearby roof top yet another sekirei watched the scene below. She had long dark hair, a revealing red outfit, and an over sized bottle of wine. At the moment all her focus was directed at the young ashikabi who was embracing his blonde sekirei and weeping. The sight of such concern for his sekirei was making her heart beat a little faster. He was cute and very, very manly. "Not good," she muttered to herself. "I think I really want to get to know him."


	12. Anything

There was a rare knock on her hidden door. Matsu looked up in surprise. She had been busy looking over M.B.I.' s secret files again. With the second phase now active she was very curious to see how things were headed. Interestingly there were four major players, one located in each direction who had at least three sekirei apiece. They would be the ones to watch out for, the ones who could shift things in one way or another.

"Yes?" Matsu called out. "Is it dinner time already?"

Her hidden door swung open and a friendly face poked in. "Yara, yara, is that all you think about Matsu? I hardly ever see your face except when you come down to eat." Uzume said.

"Well it's dangerous for me to show my face outside, now more than ever. Any way it's not like I'm not busy even if I don't leave my room very often. So if you're not calling me to dinner what is it?"

Uzume shut the door first before speaking. "I had a little run in today with someone."

"What? Were you hurt?"

"No, no, nothing happened really," Uzume assured her. "But we did have a little… misunderstanding you might say."

"What sort of misunderstanding?" Matsu asked curiously.

"Well I was talking to this guy and I guess he was her ashikabi. The next thing I knew she tried to attack me. I got away before anything could happen though."

Matsu shook her head. "Yeah some sekirei can be a little possessive. Though… if I had one I probably wouldn't let him out of my sight. I'd spend all my time experimenting with him. Ku, ku, ku." She began giggling like a dirty old man.

Uzume sighed. _Kagari is right, she really is a complete pervert. _"Anyway, she seemed really strong and I wouldn't put it past her to maybe attack me again if she spots me. I'd like to at least know who she is. Can you help?"

"Sure! When it comes to gaining information no one can top me. Describe her for me."

"Blue eyes, long blonde hair, and water powers," Uzume said. "She seemed exceptionally strong."

"Water powers?" Matsu asked with a sudden frown. She tapped some keys and an image came up on her computer screen. "Is this her by any chance?"

"Yes!" Uzume leaned forward to read the biographical information below her picture. "Tsukiumi, number nine, well if she's a single number that explains why she's so strong."

Matsu tapped a couple more keys. A second picture came up on the screen. "Was this the guy you were talking to?"

Uzume nodded. She looked at his name as well. "Sahashi Minato."

"This isn't good," Matsu said. "Uzume you should definitely try to avoid both of them from here on out. Minato is one of the four strongest ashikabi with three other sekirei winged. As for Tsukiumi, she has a bad reputation and is said to hold grudges and have a violent temper." She glanced at the screen. "Though her ashikabi is sort of cute."

Uzume giggled. "You have some really strange tastes don't you?"

XXXXXXXXXX

Sighing Minato was heading home from cram school. He wouldn't be working anymore. After what had happened Tsukiumi had insisted that he stop.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Minato! From now on you have to stop going to work! It's too dangerous!" Tsukiumi insisted.

"The second stage shouldn't be all that dangerous for him," Akizu pointed out. She was busy dusting in her French maid uniform.

"You stay out of this! You didn't see him being threatened by that vile woman! The next time I see her I'll tear her apart for daring to put my husband in danger!"

"I don't think I was ever really in danger Tsukiumi," Minato said in a calming tone.

"You saw what happened to the other ashikabi! The same could have happened to you."

"I think that only happened to him because he was trying to protect his sekirei," Minato said quietly. "I don't think she would have hurt him otherwise, and I don't think she would have hurt me."

"Even so Minato there is no guarantee that some other sekirei might not feel different. Things are much too dangerous for you to be out all day, and it is not as though we need the money!"

XXXXXXXXXX

In the end Tsukiumi got her way and he agreed to quit working. She had also wanted him to stop attending cram school but after he explained how much he wanted to attend college she relented.

_I really am a useless guy, _he thought to himself. Tsukiumi and the others were the ones in danger, not him. Yet she and the others had to waste their time worrying about him. A man was supposed to be strong and self sufficient. He was supposed to be the one taking care of the women in his life. Instead he was relying on them to take care of things. He was totally useless.

"_Hello,_" a sweet voice sang out.

Minato looked up to see a gorgeous woman in high heels and a very revealing red outfit. Her long black hair was blowing in a sudden breeze and with the view he had he couldn't help noticing her breasts were even larger than Musubi's.

"Ah, hello," he answered carefully. The way she was dressed he wondered if she might be some sort of high priced hooker.

"I was wondering if you could maybe help me out," she said. "Would you happen to know any good places around here to eat?"

"Oh, yeah there are plenty of places to eat around here. A lot of students attend class nearby so there's a wide selection."

"Oh thank goodness I've found someone who knows the area," and with that she approached him and slyly wrapped herself around one of his arms. "Why don't you let me buy you lunch as a thank you?" She purred in his ear.

His face turned the color of a tomato as her felt her amazingly soft breasts bury themselves against his arm. "Ah, tha… that's re… rally not necessary."

The next thing he knew both he and the woman on his arm were underwater.

"MINATO!!" A furious voice bellowed. "What the hell do you think you are doing?!!"

He fearfully turned around to see his wife standing there shaking and grinding her fanged teeth. He could see a couple of veins getting ready to pop.

"Tsukiumi-san please calm down! Nothing is going on here!"

"At least not yet," a wet but smiling Kazehana said with a wink.

Minato looked at her in horror.

"Minato! Who is this woman and what were you two doing?!"

"I've never met her before! I was just telling her where she could get something to eat, that's all I swear!"

"Aww, and here I was hoping we could go on a date," she said giving him another playful wink.

"What are you saying?!" Minato cried in terror. His life was suddenly flashing before his eyes.

"Get away from him!" Tsukiumi shouted. She held out her hand and set out a concentrated stream of water.

In a flash the woman at Minato's side vanished and the water passed through empty air.

"I don't appreciate being talked to like that," a suddenly stern voice said. Tsukiumi could feel two fingers press into the back of her where her crest was. "Only number one and the director can speak to me like that. Shall I punish you?"

"You… you're a sekirei?" Tsukiumi said in disbelief. In her anger she hadn't noticed.

"Sekirei number three, Kazehana, the wind sekirei at your service." Her voice remained frosty. "And you are?"

"Sekirei number nine, Tsukiumi, the water sekirei," Tsukiumi answered carefully.

"Wait, Kazehana-san, please don't do anything!" Minato called out. He knew exactly what might happen and how serious the situation was. "All this is just a misunderstanding, please don't hurt Tsukiumi-san."

"Is she that important to you?" The woman asked.

"Yes! I love her and would do anything for her!" He said desperately.

_Minato, _Tsukiumi thought tenderly. _He is only worried about me._

_Kawai! Saying that with such feeling! He is just too sweet! _"I'll let her go but you have to do something for me."

"Anything!"

A huge grin split Kazehana's face as she took her hand away from Tsukiumi. "You have to take me out on a date."

"Huh?"

"What?!" Tsukiumi barked.

"A date," Kazehana repeated. "I want you to take me on a date Ashikabi-san."

Tsukiumi now turned to face her again, still angry but also more wary this time. "Forget it! There is no way…"

"I'll do it," Minato said.

"What?" Tsukiumi cried in disbelief.

"I said I would do anything if she let you go and I will," Minato said. "I'd rather do this than put you in danger."

"Great! In that case I'll take you to my favorite place and we can start our date!" Smiling she leaned over to whisper in Tsukiumi's ear. "Don't worry; I won't fuck him… probably."

"Gak…" Tsukiumi choked out.

Kazehana wrapped her arms around Minato and deliberately pressed his face into her bosom. "Now hold on tight darling."

Summoning up her wind she and Minato flew away and were swiftly gone from sight.


	13. My New Love

Akizu and Musubi were vacuuming upstairs when they heard the front door open and then close with a loud slam.

"I swear I will kill her!!" A woman's voice roared.

"Tsukiumi-san is home," Musubi noted.

"Yes, sounds like it," Akizu calmly agreed. She turned off her vacuum cleaner and headed downstairs to see what the master wanted for lunch. When she got there she was surprised to find only Tsukiumi present. The woman was angrily pacing back and forth like a caged tiger. "Where is the master?"

Tsukiumi halted and looked even _more _furious than before. "Minato isn't here; he was… kidnapped by sekirei number three." Tsukiumi shook her head in disgust. "It's my own fault damn it! I should have never let her get the drop on me like that!"

"If the master has been kidnapped I'll get the others so we can mount a rescue." Akizu said in exactly the same emotionless voice she always used.

"Don't bother," Tsukiumi replied. "He's not in danger. At least not in that sort of danger."

Akizu raised a questioning eyebrow. "How can you be certain of that?"

Tsukiumi heaved an embarrassed sigh and quickly related the events that had happened, ending with the embarrassing admission that Kazehana had flown away with her husband to have a, 'date.'

Akizu stood there and listened to the explanation unblinking and with her usual calm mask. When it ended she turned around and headed back upstairs.

"Where are you going?" Tsukiumi questioned.

"I am going to prepare a bedroom since it appears we're about to have a new resident," Akizu replied.

"We are not!!" Tsukiumi shrieked.

Akizu went up and got a bedroom ready anyway.

XXXXXXXXXX

"How do you like your food?" Kazehana asked with a warm smile. "I know it's nothing special but I like it." They were both having some Chinese takeout they had picked up in a small local restaurant.

"Ah, its fine, it's really good," Minato answered carefully.

They were already sitting quite close but she leaned over anyway, pressing the side of her boob against his arm. "I know we could have gone to a fancy restaurant but this is my favorite place in the whole city and I wanted to show it to you."

"It… it is?" He asked nervously. At the moment they were sitting on a steel girder about fifty stories up, it was part of a skyscraper under construction. He didn't suffer from fear of heights, but looking down did make him a little shaky.

Kazehana simply nodded, she was very glad that she could share something like this with someone. "It has one of the best unobstructed views of the whole city." She began pointing out the sights to him. "There is the capitol building, there is the old Imperial Palace, the docks, Gokoku Temple, and of course M.B.I. Tower." She gave a wistful sigh as she looked at the building with its giant clock face.

"It is… it is a really amazing view," Minato admitted. "Do you come here often?"

"Only when I am feeling lonely," she said. "So yes, I come here a lot." Setting her food aside she wrapped herself around his arm and rested her head on his shoulder. "You're the first person I've ever brought here with me," she murmured quietly. Being close to him like this was giving her a really hot feeling all through her body. She could feel her heart beat picking up. All the old feelings, all the old hurts she had been obsessing over… they didn't vanish, but they didn't seem so important any more.

Minato's heart was pounding like crazy. Despite having only just met he felt strangely comfortable with her, even though she had technically kidnapped him. The way she was pressing herself against his body felt almost intimate, it reminded him of how he felt when he was alone with Tsukiumi.

"Kazehana, are you really lonely? I find it hard to believe any woman as beautiful as you could ever be lonely."

Grinning she gave him a little wink. "So you think I'm beautiful, huh?"

His face blushed and he looked very nervous. "Ah, well, what I mean is anyone can see you're very beautiful. I don't see how you could be alone."

"I've had offers," she admitted. "But I was never interested."

"How come?"

"If I tell you you're going to laugh."

"I won't I promise," he said.

She looked at him cautiously. "Well, I was in love, and I wanted him to take me as his own. But he was in love with someone else and had no interest in being my ashikabi. Ever since then I've pretty much wasted my time drinking and wondering why he didn't want me. Pretty foolish, huh?"

"No, I don't think it's foolish at all," Minato said. "Really loving someone and having that love not be returned? I can't imagine how hard that must have been. If it took you awhile to heal that's understandable. But even though I've only just met you Kazehana-san, it's obvious you're a really amazing woman who has a lot to offer. If the guy wasn't able to see that it was just his loss. I'm sure that there is someone out there who will be your ashikabi and treat you as you deserve."

He was so young, but he spoke with such conviction and passion… her heart was really starting to pound. "I want to eat you," she whispered.

"What? I'm sorry I didn't hear that."

"Nothing," she replied with an embarrassed look. His face did have a strong resemblance to _his, _but the deep concern that lay in Minato's eyes had never once been in the Director's. "It's a very kind sentiment Minato-kun, but it isn't easy. The heart wants what the heart wants; you simply can't choose to be with someone. A sekirei's first instinct is to love, at our cores that is what we are made for… to love." Her face was suddenly just a few inches away and her eyes were looking longingly into his own. "If it were for the man I love I think I could find the strength to do _anything._"

Minato knew instinctively that he was in a very dangerous situation. "Ka… Kazehana-san, you… you wouldn't want me, I'm a totally useless guy."

"Why do you say that Minato-kun?" She asked sweetly. She was close enough that her breath tickled his neck. "I don't think so, and I know number nine doesn't either. Do you think she would have been so desperate if she thought you were useless?"

"But… but I am. I'm weak and indecisive, I'm a twice failed ronnin and now I can't even make enough money to pay my own way. I have no special skills or abilities; really what could I offer to someone like you?"

"How about your heart?" She asked. "I'll make a confession to you, I saw you the other day when you spoke to that veiled sekirei."

"Then you know how useless I am," he said. "All I could do was talk; you saw for yourself how weak I am."

"I'll tell you what I saw Minato, I saw you weep and hold number nine close to you because you were so scared by the thought of losing her. It doesn't matter to me if you don't know how to fight or if you're a bit of a screw up." She placed a single finger on his lips and spoke in a breathy, sensual voice. "You worry about us, cry for us, and even love us. That is the sort of man we sekireis need. The sort of man **I **need." She took away her finger. Her lips were less than an inch from his; they were breathing the same air. "Do you want me?"

"Wha… what?"

"Do you want me Minato-kun?" she whispered to him. "Sekirei number three, Kazehana, is offering herself to you. My power, my body, my heart, mind, and soul… I will give them all to you. If you just say that you want me."

He was staring into her violet eyes and could see love there. "I want you Kazehana-san," he said through a dry throat.

The very next second her arms were around his shoulders and her tongue was deep inside his mouth. He was knocked over and damn near rolled off the girder. He wound with most of his back resting on steel with his head, arms, and legs left dangling a thousand feet in the air. Kazehana was on lying on top of him kissing him as if the world were ending in the next few minutes.

When she finally pulled back a bit to catch her breath wings of light appeared along with a crest. "Our alliance will last now and forever, my new love."

"New… tuna?" He asked questioningly.

She giggled. "Dumb, but cute." She began kissing him some more. When she had to come up for air again she had an excited look on her face. "Shall we go to a love motel to celebrate our new union my love?"

Blood shot from Minato's nose and she had to grab him to keep him from falling off.

XXXXXXXXXX

Tsukiumi was pacing outside when they arrived. Kazehana was carrying Minato with one arm and holding a couple large suitcases with the other. As soon as she saw that Tsukiumi knew.

Seeing an all too familiar murderous look there Minato swiftly got between her and Kazehana. "Tsukiumi-san, there's something I need to explain…"

"Please take good care of me," Kazehana said in a merry voice. She set down her luggage and slid her arms around Minato. "So which room is Minato-kun's? That's where I'll be staying from now on." She gave Tsukiumi a playful wink and then began to nibble on Minato's ear.

"I'LL KILL YOU!!!"

Minato was forced to hit the ground as an all out battle erupted. As his life flashed before his eyes he promised himself that if he lived there was absolutely no way he would ever get another sekirei.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hey Uzume," Kagari spoke as they were all sitting down to dinner. "Want to go with me somewhere tomorrow?"

"Hmmm?"

"I'm going over to a friend's and she's throwing a little dinner party for me," Kagari explained. "Since you don't get out that much how about you go with me? It might be fun."

"All right, sure," she replied.


	14. We Are All His Sekirei

**Author's Note: **All of you who enjoy Sekirei fanfiction, and especially any Akizu fans out there please give the story; **A Cold Sensation that Warmed my Heart, **by unclejoex3 a try.

XXXXXXXXXX

After a short battle Minato managed to get both of them to stop. Kazehana was willing. Tsukiumi, despite failing to land a single hit, reluctantly agreed to a truce. Getting them to stop attacking each other was only the beginning.

XXXXXXXXXX

Somehow or other Kazehana managed to switch places with Kusano at the dinner table. She was sitting to Minato's left while Tsukiumi was in her usual place to his right. Kazehana spent her time teasing him and giving him little shoulder rubs while also trying to get him to have more wine. Tsukiumi spent the entire dinner scowling at the intruder. Minato meanwhile tried desperately to keep things from descending into open bloodshed.

"So Minato-kun, it looks like you're really into cosplay," Kazehana said sounding amused. "You naughty boy, I wouldn't have guessed. Would you like me to put on a French maid's uniform too? Or maybe something in leather?"

"This is not cosplay!" Tsukiumi said, venom dripping in her voice.

"What's cosplay?' Musubi asked.

"Have Yukari explain it to you," Akizu told her.

"Hey!" Yukari objected sharply.

"Yes?" Akizu turned to her calmly. "That _is _the reason you keep Shiina in that sailor suit isn't it?"

The boy in the said outfit blushed and lowered his head.

"So what are the sleeping arrangements?" Kazehana asked with a purr in her voice. "Do we all share or take turns?" Leaning over she put her lips to his ear and whispered the last part just for him. "I'm happy giving it to you either way my love."

Minato grabbed a napkin to staunch the blood suddenly gushing out his nose.

"There is **no **sharing or turns!" Tsukiumi shouted furiously. "As his one and only legal wife I am the only one to perform the wifely duties!"

Kazehana looked at her mischievously. "Does his cock have your name stamped on it?"

Tsukiumi turned a deep red and started to make choking sounds.

"What's a cock?" Musubi asked.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Vile, disgusting, horrible woman!" Tsukiumi muttered as she lay in bed beside her husband. "To say such things out loud! She has absolutely no shame or sense of decency!"

"I… I don't think she's really that bad," Minato said carefully. "I just think that she's saying what she honestly feels."

Tsukiumi looked over at him a bit worried. "Minato, do you… _like_ her?"

"Yes," he answered honestly. "I like all my sekirei, and I want to try and make all of them happy. Each of them chose me, and I want to repay that kindness." He reached over and placed a gentle hand on her cheek. He looked into her sea deep eyes. "But the only one I love in _that_ way is you Tsukiumi."

At his touch and soft words she shut her eyes and shyly nodded. When they were alone together, and especially here in bed, Tsukiumi was a very different person from who she was the rest of the time. Here she was nervous and shy and very, very tender. It was here that she would smile for him. He always thought it a terrible shame that she so rarely smiled in public. She truly had the most beautiful smile in the world.

"Minato," she said in a quiet voice. "You know I would do anything to please you. So long as it is you, and we are alone, I don't mind."

"I already know that, and you don't have to ever worry, you always make me happy." He kissed her and slid his hands beneath her nightgown to begin teasing her breasts. She was not eh only one who was different when they were alone. While he still tended to be nervous and flustered around the others, when he was alone with her he felt confident to do the things they both enjoyed. They began making slow unhurried love, both of them enjoying the feelings they brought out in one another.

XXXXXXXXXX

The next morning Minato and Tsukiumi went down to the dining room together for breakfast. Musubi, Yukari, Kusano and Shiina were already seated.

"Kazehana knows how to cook," Musubi announced. "She's helping Akizu make breakfast."

"Well that's good of her," Tsukiumi acknowledged sourly. "It's nice to know she can do something other than flirt with my husband."

"Tsukiumi," Minato said. "_Please_, let's all try to get along."

Looking unhappy Tsukiumi nodded. "For your sake Minato, I will try."

As they were sitting down the door to the kitchen opened and Akizu and Kazehana came out with trays of food. Akizu was dressed in her usual maid outfit. Kazehana had on high heels and an apron… and nothing else.

As soon as Minato saw her naked backside blood came spilling out his nose. Tsukiumi slapped a hand over his eyes and growled. "You shameless woman! Why are you dressed like that?"

"What?' Kazehana asked innocently. "You expect me to cook without an apron?"

XXXXXXXXXX

Minato had his books and other supplies in his back pack ready to get to school. The girls were all by the front door. (Kazehana was now dressed in her usual outfit.)

"Have a good day at school Minato, and don't forget we are having visitors tonight. My friend Homura and he is bringing a girl with him, someone named Uzume." Tsukiumi told him.

"She's not an unwinged sekirei is she?" He asked fearfully. To his immense relief Tsukiumi was shaking her head.

"No she is not, if she were I wouldn't allow her within a thousand yards of you. The only unwinged one will be him so you should be safe."

Minato nodded. He was a little worried at the prospect of his sister acquiring a second sekirei. He knew very well how complicated that could make things. But if things worked out he certainly wouldn't stands in their way. "All right, I'll be back in time for lunch." As he turned towards the door though Kazehana was there.

"Have a good day at school darling." Before he could react she grabbed his face and planted her mouth on his and pushed her tongue eagerly past his surprised lips.

"HEY!!" Tsukiumi screamed.

"What?" Kazehana asked as she released him. Minato stood there too stunned to move, his heart was pounding.

"You are not allowed to kiss him!" Tsukiumi raged.

"Really? What if were in a battle and his life is in danger and I need the power of my norita? Should I not kiss him and leave him in danger?"

"There's no battle going on now!"

"So does that mean under those circumstances I'm allowed to kiss him?"

Tsukiumi opened her mouth and hesitated. "Fine! If his life is in danger you can kiss him."

Kazehana immediately put her arms around his shoulder and gave him another long kiss.

"Wha... what the hell?!!" Tsukiumi screamed ready to commit murder.

When Kazehana let go she looked over at Tsukiumi. "That was to protect him from dying of loneliness." She said with an innocent grin.

"Musubi wants to protect him too!" Leaning over she kissed him as well. Tsukiumi stood there with her mouth hanging open. When the kiss ended Musubi looked like a child on Christmas morning. "Have a really good day Minato-sama!"

Minato was still unable to move when Akizu came up to him. "Have a good day at school master." Her kiss was more rigid and chaste than the others had been, but when it ended there was a rare blush on Akizu's face and a very slight grin.

Minato felt a tug on his jacket and looked down to see Kusano. "Me too oniichan, don't leave me out."

Not wanting to leave her out and not wanting to be a criminal Minato placed a warm kiss on her cheek that seemed to satisfy the little girl. He then hurried out the door.

When he was gone Tsukiumi turned her full rage on Kazehana who did not seem especially intimidated. "Just what are you trying to do with my husband?!" Tsukiumi demanded.

"Nothing," she answered sweetly. "I was just wanting to give **my **love and ashikabi a kiss. Just because you call him your husband doesn't mean you can keep him all to yourself."

"Yes it does!"

"No it doesn't," Kazehana replied. "Whether you like it or not we are _all _his sekirei and we _all _love him."

"Your love isn't as strong as mine!" Tsukiumi shouted. "I would do anything for Minato!"

"So would I," Kazehana said.

"So would Musubi!"

"I would anything the master wished me to."

"Ku would do anything for her oniichan!"

"Sounds to me like everyone loves him in the same way," Kazehana noted.

"I don't care how you put it or what you say. I will never let you take Minato away from me!"

"I don't want to take him away from you Tsukiumi," Kazehana said. "I can see that you love him and that he loves you. The last thing I would ever do is interfere with that. You share a beautiful love with your ashikabi and I am happy for you. But is it really fair for you to deny the rest of the same chance to be with him? We are all his sekirei and we are all in love with him. Are our feeling really so much less important that yours?"

Tsukiumi looked at her unhappily. This was a view she had never really considered before. In her eyes the others had always been unwelcomed rivals to be defeated. She believed in battle and the basic principle that to the winner go the spoils. Yet the others weren't _really_ enemies. They lived together and if Minato were in danger they would fight to protect him. They were, in a certain sense, family. The connection they all shared to Minato also bound them to each other. But even if she could recognize that she still couldn't bear the thought of losing her place with him. Even if it was selfish of her she didn't want to give up the special relationship she had with the man she loved.

Seeing she was unlikely to get an answer Kazehana shrugged. "Well anyway think about it."


	15. Oops

"Wow," Uzume said. "Your friend loves in a palace?"

"Technically it's only a castle," Kagari told her.

She giggled. "Yara, yara well that makes it less impressive then."

The two of them had decided to go ahead and dress up for the occasion. He was in a stylish black suit while she had on a dark blue dress that showed off her ample curves. They had arrived in a limo and she was holding his arm as they approached the front door. It wasn't a real date, but it was fun to pretend for a bit.

"So is her ashikabi rich?"

"He works construction so I doubt it," Kagari said. "She bought this place on her own using her V.I.P. card."

"She bought a _castle_ using her card?" Uzume gasped. "Wow, I guess they're really serious about the, 'no limit' thing. It never even occurred to me to try and buy something like a house with it, I've never even thought about buying a car."

"Would you use it to get a house?" He asked curiously.

"What? And give up seeing Miya, Matsu, and your handsome face every day? No way!" As they neared the door something occurred to her. "Hey! I just realized, I haven't asked you what your friend's name is."

He reached out and rang the doorbell. "Her name is Tsukiumi, she's sekirei number nine."

"What?!"

Kagari looked over at her surprised by the unexpected outburst. "Is something wrong?"

The door opened and there she was. Tsukiumi was looking right at her. Uzume tensed up ready to fight. Then Tsukiumi shifted her focus to Kagari, looking at him intently.

"Hello Tsukiumi, thank you for inviting me." He said with a charming smile.

She stood there staring at him a moment. "Who are you?"

He stared back at her. "You're kidding right?"

"You seem familiar, have we met?"

A huge sweat drop appeared on his head.

"Ah, this is Kagari, your friend," Uzume offered. "You invited him here."

"I don't know anyone by that name," Tsukiumi said.

"Here, maybe this will help," he took a handkerchief from one of his pockets and used it to cover up part of his face.

"Homura!" Tsukiumi exclaimed. "Why didn't you say it was you?"

"Homura?" Uzume asked. "Since when do you go by that name?"

Grinning he leaned over to whisper to her confidentially. "I lead a secret double life."

_Yara, that seems to be a theme with all the residents of Izumo Inn, _she thought. Had she known the truth about the land lady Miya she would have thought that even more true.

With Homura's identity revealed Tsukiumi I again focused on the woman at his side. "You are Uzume, number ten correct?"

"Heh, that's right."

"You **are **winged right? My husband has five sekirei and does **not **need a sixth."

"Sorry, I'm taken," she turned a bit and showed the other woman part of her crest.

"That's fine then," Tsukiumi said with relief. "You are welcome here." She gave the woman another curious look. "Have we met by any chance?"

Uzume paled a bit but held onto her smile. "If we had I'm sure I'd remember."

"Well come inside, you are both welcome here." Tsukiumi opened the door wide for them and waved them in.

"Five sekirei?" Homura asked in surprise. "The last time I talked to you it was only four. Who has he added?"

"Homura! Welcome to our party! Have a drink with me!" Kazehana approached with a large open wine bottle and a couple glasses.

"Number three! You've been winged?" Homura said startled. "Don't tell me you finally got over your rejection."

"That's right, I found myself a new man to love!" She said sounding as happy as a school girl.

Tsukiumi stood there grinding her teeth.

_Amazing, _Homura thought. _The same man was able to wing both Tsukiumi and Kazehana. I couldn't imagine two more different sekirei and yet they both seem very happy. This Minato must be a lot more interesting than I thought. _He had only met him once, on the same occasion Tsukiumi had originally met him. He hadn't seemed like anything special then, but to have five sekirei winged, and two of them single numbers he must have had something working for him.

Tsukiumi took his hand and led him towards the dining room. "Come on let me introduce you to Minato and my sister in law Yukari."

There in the dining room he found the others. It was an interesting mix. There were two sekirei dressed in maid outfits and one in a white sailor suit. There was a little girl playing with a cat. Minato and his sister were standing together and Tsukiumi led him over to introduce him to both of them. As soon as he approached Yukari he felt his body begin to heat up. His eyes widened and for the first time in a long time hope filled his heart.

The main reason he had come a club host had been so he could meet lots of different women. He always hoped that one of them would react to him and have the potential to be his ashikabi. But despite countless encounters and many, many kisses he had never met anyone who could make his body react. Now for the first time he thought he might have found someone who could share that special connection with him. He gave Minato a quick word of hello before focusing on his sister. He _did _want to get to know Minato better; any man who could make Tsukiumi throw a dinner party was definitely worth knowing, but for the moment his real interest was in his sister. She was young, probably about 18 or 19 and from the way she was dressed, short skirt, platform shoes, knee socks he definitely got the feeling she still needed to mature a bit. But she was very cute and she _was _making his heart beat.

For her part as soon as she saw that handsome face and stylish clothing she was hooked. "Wow, you're so cool Homura-san! You're like the total exact opposite of my oniichan."

"Thanks sis," Minato muttered.

"Yukari-san," Shiina said sounding upset. "Do you like him better than me?"

"Of course not Shiina-kun! I like you both! You've got the whole sweet innocent boy thing going while he has the cool sophisticated older man vibe! It would totally be the best of both worlds!" She began to rub her hands greedily. "Maybe I could dress him up in leather," she said mostly to herself.

For some reason he suddenly had the mental image of Matsu without her glasses wearing a straight black wig. Spotting Kazehana he waved her over. "You know I think I'll have a drink after all."

XXXXXXXXXX

He was seated to one side of Yukari, across the table from Minato. All through the dinner his body remained hot and his heart rate remained elevated. He was a bit surprised that when Yukari physically touched him he did not become noticeably hotter. Both Tsukiumi and Uzume had mentioned the fact that being touched by your ashikabi always increased the effect. But even without that there was no question that his body was reacting to her.

The fact that Yukari just might be able to wing him was very exciting.

It was also disappointing. As the dinner progressed he quickly realized that Yukari was just a young school girl out to have fun and explore the world around her. As he club host he had run into a herd of likeminded girls over the years. They could be fun and a little interesting at times, but his experience was that they always wound up being a bit self centered. For instance, even though it was obvious her current sekirei was feeling uncomfortable with her flirting she didn't stop and she didn't take the time to reassure him. She was already obsessing with the idea of having two very different toys to play with. He wasn't at all sure he would want Yukari as an ashikabi.

By comparison her brother seemed to have a much better personality and was a far better ashikabi in his opinion. Despite being trapped between Tsukiumi and Kazehana he made a point to pay attention not only to both of them but to all of his sekirei. Whenever one of them talked to him he gave her his full undivided attention. It was clear that his feelings were strongest towards Tsukiumi, but he cared about all of them and really tried to make each of them feel loved.

_Maybe that's his secret, _a somewhat tipsy Homura thought. _He really tries to make each of them feel wanted and needed. He puts their needs ahead of his own. Maybe that's how he got number nine and number three. _ He had another glass of wine. _Maybe Yukari will be like her brother when she matures a little._

XXXXXXXXXX

At the end of dinner Yukari put her hand over his and whispered in his ear inviting him up to her room to, 'talk.' He already knew what was going to happen. He'd had several glasses of wine to fortify himself. He nodded to her and hand in hand they excused themselves and left the dinner table to head upstairs.

He had already made up his mind during dinner. If she offered to wing him he would accept. She wasn't his ideal by any stretch, but she was still young enough to change for the better. The simple fact was after so much effort trying to find someone who could even be his ashikabi he was now convinced he would not find another. He _wanted _to be winged. He wanted to have that special connection with someone. If his only choice was to accept her or remain unwinged forever he would accept her.

But almost as soon as they left eh dining room something strange happened. The heat that had been filling his body faded away. By the time they reached the stairs it was gone completely and his heart beat was back to normal. Despite holding hands he was no longer getting a reaction from her. _This can't be! _His wine soaked brain thought in panic. _How could I be reacting to her all through dinner and have it just shut off when we're alone?_

Yukari of course had no idea what was going on. She was feeling excited by the prospect of having her second sekirei and was already thinking naughty thoughts. When they got up to her room she shut the door and wasted no time at all.

"Homura-kun I want you to be my sekirei," she told him. "What do you say?"

"All right," he answered. Fear more than desire decided him. He grabbed her roughly around the waist and pulled her close. "Want me to do it?"

"Yes!" She said eagerly.

He put his mouth to her and expertly caressed her lips with his own.

Nothing happened.

There was no flash of heat, there were no wings of light, and a crest did not appear. Despite what he had felt all through dinner Yukari was not the one. Like every other girl he had ever kissed she could not wing him.

When Yukari felt the kiss end she opened her eyes. The look in Homura's face was one of crushing disappointment. "What? What happened?"

"Nothing," he slurred. All of a sudden bitter disappointment filled him. Despite his own reservations he had really wanted this. But it turned out to just be one more disappointment. "Nothing happened, I'm sorry, but you're not the one." He let go of her and quickly left her room ignoring her calls.

He hurried down stairs to where the others still were. He wanted to say his goodbyes and quickly leave. And then, as if the gods were mocking him, he felt it again. His body was starting to feel hot. Looking back he did not see a trace of Yukari, she had not followed him. He suddenly wondered if he might just be sick or if his control of his flame powers might be off. He was feeling heat even when it had nothing to do with Yukari.

He needed a drink.

He spotted a half full glass of wine sitting on the table. Drinking someone else's leftovers was a bit nasty but at the moment he needed alcohol and didn't really care if he looked pathetic. He snatched the glass, brought it to his lips, and tossed it down.

The very next second he felt an intense flash of heat fill his body. Everyone in the dining room stopped to stare at him as wings of light sprouted from his back and a crest appeared.

"Wha… what just happened?" A suddenly sober Homura asked.

"Homura you just got winged!" Uzume said in amazement. "Yara, yara how did you do that without getting a kiss?"

"Did you kiss her upstairs?" Tsukiumi questioned. "Was this some sort of delayed reaction?"

"I don't think that's how it's supposed to work," Homura said. Takehito had explained the process to him many times. The kisses were necessary because the potential ashikabi's DNA was transferred through the shared saliva.

Saliva.

Homura gasped and looked at the empty wineglass still in his hand. _It couldn't be!! _Only humans could act as ashikabi, and with Yukari upstairs there was only one human present. He stared at Minato.

"Are you all right Homura?" Minato asked worriedly.

Swallowing Homura returned the glass to the table and approached Minato. "Please forgive me but I have to make sure."

"Forgive you? Forgive you for wh… mmmph!!" Minato was cut off as Homura grabbed him around the shoulder and gave him a full on man on man kiss."

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING TO MY HUSBAND?!!" Tsukiumi I shrieked at the top of her lungs.

The others in the room were all too shocked to react. Their shock only deepened when the wings of light appeared again.

Homura broke the kiss and stared at Minato; both of them were red faced. "I was afraid of that," he whispered. "You've become my ashikabi… now and forever."

Minato stood there unable to move or speak.

Kazehana gave a loud cheer and began to clap her hands. "How sweet! That love which dare not speak its name! Kiss him again! Kiss him again!"

"No!" Tsukiumi grabbed Homura and yanked him a safe distance away. "Don't _ever _kiss him again! Even if it's a matter of life and death! I forbid it!"

"Afraid Minato-kun might start to like it?" Kazehana teased.

"SHUT UP!"

XXXXXXXXXX

Later that night

"He liked my brother better than me!!" Yukari wailed.

"Please don't cry Yukari-san," Shiina said as he tried to comfort her. "It wasn't like he made a choice. It's just that Minato-san was able to give him something that you weren't."

Yukari cried even louder.


	16. A Set Of Conditions

After all the commotion and all the startled conversation the party finally would down. An embarrassed Homura headed home with Uzume promising to return tomorrow. Akizu put a sleepy Kusano to bed while Shiina was off trying to comfort a humiliated Yukari. Kazehana was still drinking and had somehow gotten Musubi to join her. Meanwhile Minato noted that Tsukiumi seemed to have slipped away.

XXXXXXXXXX

He finally found her outside on the little foot bridge that led over the pond. She was glumly staring down at the water. The pond was stocked with bright colored carp but it was too dark too see them now. Walking over to stand behind her he slipped his arms around her and pressed her back to his chest. She was the only one he felt comfortable enough with to something like this. He knew she didn't really like being hugged in public, but there was no one around at the moment. He felt her stiffen at first, but then relax and lean back into his warmth.

"Are you all right?" He asked.

"No," she admitted dully. "I really didn't need to see that, Homura kissing you."

"Uh, yeah," he couldn't help feeling uncomfortable at this reminder. "I didn't really like it either."

"But it wasn't only that kiss that bothered me," she said quietly. She was deliberately looking at the water rather than at him. "This morning, when the others were kissing you. I hated it. I hate seeing you kiss anyone but me."

"Tsukiumi…"

"But you liked it didn't you?" She said sadly, her eyes still on the water.

"I… yeah, I guess I did. I… I like the other girls and it makes me happy that they care about me. That's what their kisses mean to me, they're symbols of their feelings for me." He hated saying this knowing it would hurt her, but he knew lying about it would hurt her worse. "I care about all of them and want to make them happy, but Tsukiumi is the one I love most." He squeezed her a little tighter.

She turned around so that she was facing him. Her sea deep eyes were looking intently into his. "Say that again," she pleaded.

He gently placed a hand to her soft cheek. "Tsukiumi is the one I love most."

She kissed him. He was so caring, so kind, and he tried so hard to make her happy. She placed her head on his shoulder and shut her eyes. This beautiful moment, alone in her husband's arms, all of his thoughts, all of his attention, just for her. She wanted this to last forever. She just wanted to be with him forever exactly like this.

"Is it selfish for a wife to want all of her husband's love?" She asked him quietly. "The others love you, I know that, but I can't help how I feel when I see you with anyone but me."

"Tsukiumi," he said tenderly. "I'm sorry that it hurts you. If it were just you and me I would never even look at anyone else. You're so beautiful and so wonderful I still can't believe I have someone like you in my life. But the others are in my life too, and I can't just ignore them."

"I know, you could never be that cruel. That is part of what makes me love you so much." She opened her eyes and lifted her head off his shoulder. She couldn't make the world disappear just because she wanted it to. She had to deal with things as they were not as she wished them to be. "Minato, I have been thinking about this all day. The others are your sekirei and have a connection with you. Even if it is **not **as strong as my connection to you it is still very real and deserves… attention."

"Ah, Tsukiumi, what are you talking about?"

"As the legal wife I am forced to shoulder many important responsibilities and make important decisions. I have made a decision. Since they others all love you and are willing to fight for you it is only fair they receive some of you your affection." He face turned a bit red and she looked uncomfortable.

"Tsukiumi, are you saying I should… that you want me to…"

"Concubines are expected to service a man's needs aren't they?"

Minato turned a very deep red.

"But there are conditions!" She said sharply. "To start I am the legal wife! No one else gets to be called wife or to wear a wedding ring! Second, I am not sharing the marriage bed. I expect you to continue to sleep with me each night. You can do… _that_ during the day. But I want you beside me every single night! And lastly I never want to hear, and I especially never want to _see _what you are doing with the others. If I need to know where you are simply tell me you will be with this one or that one, but I will never want to know the details. And have the decency to only do those things in private. I will accept that you are doing those things with the others but I never want to see it. And that includes kissing!"

"I understand," Minato croaked. He couldn't believe that Tsukiumi was actually okay with this even with the conditions.

"Very well, now let's go to bed dear. And never ever forget that you are the one I love the most." She hugged him desperately. "Even if I have to share you."

XXXXXXXXXX

"You were winged by a man?" Miya said shocked.

"I'm afraid so," Kagari admitted in an embarrassed undertone.

"Ku, ku, ku," Matsu let loose with one of her perverted giggles. "I never knew you swung that way Kagari-kun."

Uzume began to laugh as Kagari sent Matsu a dangerous look. "Would you like to be turned to ashes you perverted witch?" Fire danced in his palm as Matsu let out a fearful cry and began to cower.

"Kagari-san, you know I don't allow violence in this Inn." Miya said softly. The image of a fearsome seemed to appear above her head.

"Er, sorry," Kagari apologized quickly and put out the flames.

He and Uzume had returned from the party to find Miya and Matsu waiting for them. The land lady had even gone ahead and made tea and cake. Both women wanted to hear about the party. Since he'd gone there specifically to meet a potential ashikabi they'd both known he might end up winged. Of course neither of them had suspected it would be a man who would do the winging. Uzume, who had a female ashikabi, didn't find it so big a deal.

"So what is your new ashikabi like?' Miya asked.

"Hmmm, well I don't really know. I spent most of my time trying to get to know his sister. He already had five sekirei and though he was closer to Tsukiumi than the others I saw him really trying to be kind to all of them." A slight frown manifested. "I think he's a bit of a pervert though."

"Oh dear," Miya said.

"Ku, ku, ku really?" Matsu sounded quite interested.

"It figures _that_ would get your attention," Kagari said dryly.

"What did he do that was so perverted?" Matsu asked eagerly. "Did he want you to do things to him after you were winged?" She was leaning forward rubbing her hands together.

_She and Yukari would get along well. _"No, but he had a couple of his sekirei dressed up in French maid outfits. And his sister had hers wearing a sailor suit."

"Ku, ku, ku I think I'm really starting to mike this Minato! I think I'd like to meet him some time!"

"That would be a little hard since you never leave the Inn," Kagari pointed out.

Matsu looked over at their land lady. "Miya-san, can we invite Minato over for a visit?"

Miya considered it and gave a slight nod. "I think that would be a good idea."

"You're kidding," Kagari said.

"Not at all, I definitely would like to meet you ashikabi. I want to make sure he's not some sort of wild sexual beast."

"Or maybe he is!" Matsu said happily and started rubbing her hands again.

_Oh give me strength, _Kagari thought wearily. Even if a pervert male Minato _was _his ashikabi now, he didn't want to freak him out by introducing him to a scary woman and a perverted one. "Miya I appreciate it but it's really not necessary."

The land lady turned to him with a demure smile as the demonic mask materialized. "It has been decided."

He swallowed nervously. "Yes Miya."

XXXXXXXXXX

The following morning.

"So we can have sex with him?" Kazehana said excitedly.

"Subject to my conditions, yes." Tsukiumi spat out. She really didn't like the way Kazehana and the others were looking at Minato. "And not with Kusano obviously!"

"How come?" Kusano asked.

"Because it would be a crime," Tsukiumi said. "And if he did something like that we would all have to kill him."

"I would never do anything like that!" Minato said. "Anyway I have to get going."

"And just where do you think you're going?" Kazehana asked as she grabbed hold of him by the arm. She was burying his arm deep into her mountainous breasts.

"I… I have to get to cram school," he said nervously.

"Uh, uh," she said teasingly. She began dragging him towards the stairs. "I'll give you a different sort of education up in my room." She looked at him and ran her tongue over her lips.

The other girls chased after them shouting they wanted to share.

Tsukiumi remained and slowly ground her teeth.


	17. Enough Love For All

He could feel her hands digging into his shoulders and back. She had already coated his entire backside with baby oil.

"You're so tense my love," Kazehana said in her sweet teasing voice. He felt her hands glide over his skin and begin kneading his lower back. "Just relax, you're in good hands. I promise to take care of you." She giggled.

Despite complaints from the others Minato had convinced them he was not up for being with all of them at once. They only gave up though once he promised he would visit each of them in their rooms today. Who he would see first had never been in doubt. Once Kazehana had gotten a hold of him she'd refused to let go until they were safely in her room.

Now he was lying face down on her bed… naked as she massaged him. She was kneeling over him expertly working his body… also naked.

"I… I can't help being nervous, you know. I mean… what we're doing, and what we're going to do…" He was actually really scared. Before Tsukiumi he'd been a virgin, he had never even see a naked woman except on the t.v. or in a magazine. She was the only one he had ever been intimate with.

Kazehana could see how genuinely nervous he was. She thought it absolutely adorable. If she hadn't known for a fact he'd been with Tsukiumi she'd have sworn he was still a virgin by the way he was acting. It only made her want him that much more. "Minato-kun is it worry that you won't satisfy me or is it the idea of upsetting Tsukiumi that has you so anxious?"

He swallowed. "It's Tsukiumi," he admitted. "To be honest I still can't believe she's okay with this. I really love her and I don't want to be unfaithful to her."

"Wah! That's so beautiful!" Unable to resist she flopped down on top of him, pressing her tits into his back as she put her mouth by his ear. "You're so sweet Minato-kun!" She began placing kisses all along his neck and rubbing her entire body against him. With all the baby oil she slid over his skin with ease.

The feeling of her breasts and legs and body was amazing, and the kisses on his neck were turning him on even more. A certain part of his body was already as hard as stone and he had to struggle just to keep his thoughts coherent. "But… but… how is it sweet? I'm cheating on her."

"No you're not," she said simply. "There is nothing unfaithful or wrong in your loving me. You are **my** ashikabi, I am **your** sekirei, it is only right that we love each other." She moved from his neck to nibbling his ear. Her finger tips were tracing along his arms and she was slowly grinding her hips against his lower body, turning them both on.

"But… but… Tsukiumi…"

"Minato-kun," she spoke in a breathy whisper. "I am glad you love Tsukiumi, she loves you as well and I think that wonderful. A sekirei's first instinct is to love; we need love in our lives. But I think your heart is large enough to love more than one person. For me there is only you, but I understand that for you there are others. I am fine with that. I don't want to take the love you have for her, I just want some of your love for myself. I belong to you just as much as she does and you belong to me. You can love me without betraying the others who also share your heart. You can love each of us faithfully."

He turned to face her. He looked into her eyes and saw love there. It was the same as when he'd told her that he wanted her. It was a pure honest affection.

"Kazehana…"

She kissed him. Heat consumed her and the wings of light appeared. He flipped over so that they were face to face and chest to chest. His hands moved to where he wanted them, fondling and squeezing her. She let out a low groan as she kissed him even more desperately.

Things progressed from there.

XXXXXXXXXX

A couple hours later he staggered out of Kazehana's room.

"Master?"

Minato looked up to see Akizu standing there in her maid's uniform patiently waiting on him.

"Uh, yes?"

"Is it my turn now?"

"Wha… what?"

"Musubi and I drew straws," she explained. "So my turn comes after Kazehana's," she stated calmly.

_They drew straws?_

Seeing his reaction Akizu looked down. "Do you not want to master?"

"Right now? But I just… is this okay with you?"

She carefully nodded and reached out to take his hand. "Please come with me to my room master."

A short while later they were both sitting naked on the edge of her bed. She had quietly undressed in front of him and then neatly folded up her clothes and placed them on a chair. He had just stood there watching as she calmly took off her clothes. Despite his experience there was something still very erotic in seeing a beautiful woman undress right in front of you.

When she was done she had noted he still had all his clothes on and had offered to help him remove them. Declining he quickly got undressed as well.

Then the two of them had sat down on the bed.

They were simply looking at each other. Though her breasts were not as large as Tsukimi's (never mind Musubi's or Kazehana's) they were certainly still magnificent. No guy would find her wanting in that department. She had straw colored hair and grey eyes that always seemed to be mourning. She was a very beautiful woman, but of all his sekirei she was the one he had the hardest time understanding. He wanted her to be happy but she never smiled. She never seemed to show any feeling at all. She did whatever was asked of her without complaint or comment, and seemed satisfied with just that. She was very intelligent and knew a surprising number of things ranging from the secrets of M.B.I.'s master plan to how to make a soufflé. Yet he still didn't know her. He definitely did not feel comfortable making a first move on her without some clear sign that she wanted him to. (Apparently her inviting him to his room and stripping was unclear.)

They sat there in an uncomfortable silence just looking at each other. After a couple minutes she finally spoke.

"Master, you have an erection."

"Gah!" He planted his hands over his troubling body part. "Sorry! I'm sorry!"

She lifted a single feathery eyebrow. "What is there to be sorry about?"

"Well I don't want you to think that I only see you as a sex object."

She looked at him questioningly. "Master… do you not want to have sex with me? This body is yours. You are welcome to do anything with it that pleases you."

"But I don't want to do anything you don't want me to." He explained. "Whether you think you have to or just think it's expected it shouldn't just be about you letting me use you. It should be about shared feelings and making both people happy. If this is something you don't want I don't want to force it on you."

"Don't want?" She asked questioningly. "Is that what you believe master? That I don't want this?"

"Well, you don't seem to. You are acting like it's something you have to do, something that is expected of you. I don't want you to feel that this is some sort of obligation just because you are my sekirei"

"I see," she said slowly. She reached out and took his hand. Without comment she placed it atop her left breast and pressed down. "Can you feel it master? My heart beat?"

His face was becoming red and he slowly nodded. "Ye… yeah, I can." Her heart was racing. He also suddenly noticed a little color in her face as well, and her lips turned up in a very slight grin. Now that he thought about it she had looked like this when she'd given him a kiss goodbye the other day as well.

"This is how I feel master; my heart is like this because you are here with me. I am sorry I am so poor at showing my emotions. I was used as an experimental subject by M.B.I. and I learned to hide my thoughts and feelings as best I could. Even if I have trouble showing it please know that I love you master. I would gladly die if it was for you. Your kindness to me and your attentions make me very happy and fill me with feelings of love. I do not need an order or sense of obligation for this. I…" for the first time he could recall she looked nervous. "I… want you to love me."

Her honest feelings touched his heart. He reached over and kissed her. Putting his arms around her he carefully pushed her down onto the bed.

XXXXXXXXXX

A couple hours later Minato stumbled out of her room barely able to even walk. Akizu came out tidy in her maid uniform looking as calm as ever.

"I will make lunch for you now master. Since Musubi is still waiting I will make something high in protein and carbohydrates to help restore your energy."

He let out a small groan.

XXXXXXXXXX

Following lunch Musubi had grabbed a hold of him and swiftly taken him upstairs to her room.

She was lying on her bed still dressed in her usual clothing but with her top undone and spread open to reveal her breasts.

She was staring up at him red faced and very nervous looking. He found her innocence endearing and determined to be especially gentle with her. He placed a warm kiss on her lips causing wings of light to appear. With his hands he began to lightly caress her breasts.

"Does that feel good Musubi-chan?"

"Yes," she breathed. "Whatever Minato-sama wishes to give me Musubi would gladly accept."

He began playing with her a bit more and moved his moth to begin sucking her tits. "Ah Musubi-chan, how does that feel?"

He waited but she did not reply.

"Musubi-chan?"

"Zzzzz."

He stared at her closed eyes not believing it. _She fell asleep? _

Despite the blow to his male pride he was a bit tired himself following all his morning labors. He settled into the bed beside her and took a nap.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Do you want more tea oniichan?" Kuchan asked happily.

"Yes please," Minato replied with a grin. He held out a tea cup and Kuchan, 'poured' him some tea.

After exiting from Musubi's room feeling refreshed Kusano had caught up to him and demanded he spend time with her too. So he had come to her room to have a tea party with her.

"I'll have some too," Shiina said. "It's very good." Kuchan poured some more into his tea cup.

Minato had made sure to bring witnesses with him to make sure there was no misunderstanding of what was happening.

Yukari gave an annoyed sigh. When Shiina had agreed to come to this he had roped her along as well. "I'll have some more too I guess."

Kusano smiled at her but put her little toy tea kettle down "Sorry, but I'm all out of tea."

Yukari glared at the little girl.

There was a knock at the door and Tsukiumi stuck her head in. She looked at the scene and nodded, as though in relief. "Minato, Homura has come here to see you."

XXXXXXXXXX

In the parlor Minato and Homura shared a sofa and talked over real tea and biscuits. Tsukiumi sat on the couch as well. Minato was sitting between.

"So if you don't mind would you care to come have dinner at my home tomorrow? I live in an Inn and my land lady and the other residents are a bit like family to me. It would really mean a lot to me if you would agree to meet them."

Before Minato could answer Tsukiumi did it for him. "Of course we will come," she announced.

"We?" Homura asked.

She nodded fiercely. "As the legal wife it is my duty to accompany my husband to social gatherings. Obviously I will be going there with him."

Hearing that Homura grinned. _Matsu will really enjoy that. _"That's just fine," he said. "How about you come over at seven?"

"That is fine," Tsukiumi declared. "By the way Homura you should know there have been some changes made since you were here yesterday."

"Oh?" He asked as both he and Minato had some more tea.

"Yes," she stated. "I am now all right with sharing the wifely duties. So I hereby consent to the two of you having sex."

Homura and Minato had identical reactions and they both spat out their tea and started to choke.

"What I…" Minato gasped.

"No way would I…" Homura got out.

Both men looked at one another.

"I like women!" Minato said immediately.

"Me too!" Homura agreed.

Minato sighed in relief and began drinking some more tea.

Homura looked embarrassed and began pressing his fingers together. "Of course I **am** your sekirei now, so if you ever wanted to experiment…"

Minato began choking again.

XXXXXXXXXX

At the end of the day he was stretched out in bed next to Tsukiumi who was in her white teddy.

"I am so glad the day is over and I can finally relax."

Tsukiumi looked over at him. "So… I guess after being with all your other sekirei you probably just want to sleep."

He saw her nervousness and the way her hands were shaking a little.

_Idiot, _he chided himself. _Of course this has been really hard for her. She's put on a strong front but there's no way she can be comfortable with all this. She must be scared my feelings have changed._

Slipping an arm around her back he pulled her easily into a close embrace. "Tsukiumi," he told her with a warm smile. "Don't you know that the best part of the meal is always saved for last?"

"Minato…"

"Tsukiumi is the one I love most," he whispered to her.

With a relieved nod she pressed herself into his arms. "And you are the one I love the most."

He gave her a long slow kiss that filled her with a beautiful heat and created wings of light. The day's weariness was forgotten and he found himself with plenty of energy as he made slow love to his beloved and only wife.


	18. Akizu's Story

A twelve year old child, I open my weary eyes. My entire body is hot and wracked by aches. A fever has me sweating.

"Why," I call out weakly.

"What is it Akizu?" A familiar voice responds.

I look up to see him standing over my bed. Like always he is in a white lab coat and has long blond hair covering his eyes; Takehito. He is the one who makes me sick and then tries to make me better. Sometimes I really hate him, but he is the only one who ever seems to care. The others just come and go and treat me like the test subject that I am. He is the only one who ever _talks _to me.

"Why is it only me that has to go through this?" I ask. "Why am I the only one who has to suffer? Am I so hated?" I am the only one to have diseases injected into her. The only one to be tortured like this. Why? What did I ever do to deserve this?

Takehito looks down sadly at me. He does that a lot. "No one hates you Akizu. Unfortunately the road to knowledge is often a hard one."

"I don't understand."

"I'm sorry, but we need to know everything we can about you and your people, and the only way to gain that knowledge is through experimentation on a live test subject. Acquiring knowledge sometimes demands sacrifice."

"But why me? Why am **I **the only one who has to make this sacrifice?"

He shrugs. "We needed a test subject and you were the one who was chosen. I'm afraid that's all there is to it." He says. "No one hates you."

"But that's how it feels," I tell him.

"I'll give you something to help you sleep," he tells me in a soft voice. He reaches into a coat pocket and takes out a piece of candy. "Here."

I take the candy and put it in my mouth. Takehito likes to give me candy or ice cream and tries to ease my pain. I like when he does those things, but I would rather he stop making me sick.

I sometimes think he is a very kind man. But he is also the one who injects me when I am strapped down. At those times I am always sure he _must _hate me.

Why else would he do those things to me?

XXXXXXXXXX

My name is Akizu. I am an alien and I live on a spaceship. The ship isn't in space though; it crashed here on earth hundreds or thousands of years ago. Physically I look like a twelve year old but I may be older that recorded human history. Most of my existence was spent in suspended animation. The ship crashed into the ocean and remained there for an untold number of years until the island of Kamikura rose up out of the sea. It was then discovered by our current owner; Hiroto Minaka.

I've met him a few times. A very strange and excitable man. He has boundless energy and even more boundless imagination. I don't think Takehito likes him very much. Minaka is the one who gave my race the name, 'Sekirei.' It's not our real name of course, but since no one knows what we're really called it's as good a name as any other. Somewhere out in space is the world my people come from. The world where this ship was constructed and launched from and from which my parents conceived me. But where among all stars this world might be, the reason why they sent a spaceship with 108 life forms to Earth, or whether or not my race even still exists out there, none of this is known.

I don't suppose any of it really matters. Wherever it was I and this ship came from Earth is the only world I will ever know. I only hope that someday I get to know more of it that just this barren rock.

XXXXXXXXXX

Influenza, malaria, anthrax, and countless other infectious diseases are injected into me. If I were human I'd have died a long time ago. Then again if I were human I wouldn't be experimented on like this. My immune system can defeat any disease or illness. Once I've been infected with something I can never get sick from it again. Takehito believes that my race's DNA holds the key to curing all human sickness and even extending the human lifespan.

That's nice I suppose, but it doesn't help me any. No matter how many people I may end up helping I am still just a lab rat. Between experiments I mostly just stay in my room. Almost all the other sekirei have been activated and are living on the ship somewhere. I have never been allowed to meet any of them. The only people I am ever allowed to meet are the humans in white lab coats or nurse's uniforms.

Every once in awhile I am allowed to go outside. Kamikura is nothing but a barren rock a few miles long. But I like looking at the ocean. I like imagining going somewhere else.

"Will I ever leave this place?"

Takehito nods. Whenever I am allowed out it is always with him. "Yes, you definitely will. The S-Plan calls for releasing all sekirei into the world."

"That's good isn't it? Why do you look unhappy?"

"Because of some of the other things Minaka has in mind."

"What do you mean?"

He looks at me and smiles. "Nothing, it's nothing important."

"You're lying again," I say. "I wish you would stop lying so much."

He chuckles a bit and pats my head. "You're a very blunt person Akizu."

"Is that bad?"

"No, not really, just as with humans each sekirei has his or her own unique personality." His eyes look down into mine. "Always be yourself Akizu; never try to be anyone else."

I raise one of my eyebrows. "Who else would I be?"

For some strange reason this makes him laugh.

XXXXXXXXXX

I stop crying or getting angry. It never does any good any way. I try not to show what I feel or think any more. It's better this way. I need to deal with things in a rational way, not with tears and pleas.

In my room there is a computer with internet access and a television with program options from around the world. In between experiments I have nothing but time. No one ever visits me, not even Takehito. So I go on line and try to learn about the world outside. I am very curious and have a photographic memory, what I read I learn and what I learn I never forget. I learn about engineering, computer programming, knitting, auto repair, pottery, cooking, and much more. I even go into the M.B.I. mainframe and learn about the S-Plan and about the other sekirei.

Takehito and the others know what I am doing of course. Not only can they track everything I am doing on the computer there are cameras in my room. I am always watched, even when I bathe or relieve myself. I don't mind since it has always been this way. I have noticed though I have trouble understanding certain concepts like, 'privacy' or 'embarrassment.' I don't understand why some people would be bothered by being seen naked or without panties.

When I watch television I am always drawn to romances. I've learned several languages including Japanese, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin Chinese, and French. What I like to watch the most are Brazilian and Spanish dramas, what the Americans would call, 'soap operas.' The characters on them are always more passionate than on other shows. I'm not sure why, but I really like stories where men and women are desperately in love with one another. I especially like it where the man must overcome all odds to be with the woman he loves. I try and imagine what it must be like. To have someone pursue me, desire me, and want me… I think I would really like it.

No one here cares about me except as a test subject. Even Takehito who is kinder than the rest doesn't really care about me. If he did he wouldn't be able to keep making me sick. I have no friends or people who I can talk to. Even if I did what would I say to them? I don't really know how to interact with people except by taking orders. I wonder if I will ever have friends or anyone who cares about me except as a lab rat.

XXXXXXXXXX

When I was fifteen I finally left Kamikura Island. They put me on a M.B.I. helicopter and flew me all the way to Tokyo. In M.B.I. Tower I was given a luxurious apartment with a view overlooking the whole city.

But I wasn't allowed to leave the building.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Will I have an ashikabi someday?"

"An ashikabi?" Takehito looks uncomfortable.

I have a sekirei crest on my forehead. I was, 'winged' through an injection that contained various strands of DNA. I am a winged sekirei without an ashikabi. Thanks to my experience Takehito says he will be able to perfect the winging system for the others. When the Sekirei Plan goes into effect each of them will be able to make a special connection to one particular human, their ashikabi.

But what about me?

"I want to know if I can have an ashikabi," I say.

"I'm sorry," Takehito answers. "Each sekirei can be winged only once. So no, I'm afraid you won't be able to."

Hearing him confirm that makes me very unhappy. It's just one more thing that has been taken from me. "I see," I answer him like always, revealing nothing of what I feel.

Takehito looks very sad.

XXXXXXXXXX

A few months later Takehito died.

When I heard that I was sad. I thought I should probably cry, but I wasn't able to.

XXXXXXXXXX

I look out the window. Far below is a girl in a white and red outfit bounding away, leaving M.B.I. Tower. She leaps onto some rooftops and is quickly gone from sight. The Sekirei Plan is beginning. For the last month individual sekirei have been released from the Tower into the general population of Tokyo to seek out their ashikabis. Phase one has begun.

But what about me? What part do I have to play in any of this?

"You look very lonely right now."

I turn around to see Karasuba standing there with her usual grin. The Disciplinary Squad members are the only sekirei I have been allowed to interact with. I suppose that's because they aren't really part of the Sekirei Plan either. Haihane and Benitsubasa rarely bother to talk to me, I don't blame them. I'm not a very sociable person and why waste time talking to a broken product like me? Karasuba talks to me from time to time. I get the sense she can feel my misery and feeds off of it. Even though she talks to me she is not a friend.

"I am no more or less lonely than usual," I reply. I look back out over the city.

"Do you want to fly away too my broken wagtail?" She asks with a chuckle.

"Does it matter what I want?"

"Maybe," a different voice answers.

I turn around again to see Minaka standing there in his white suit and cape. He has a wide smile, since the beginning of Phase one he has been in a perpetual good mood.

"Tell me, what is it you want?" Minaka asks.

"To be needed and wanted," I answer without thinking. "I want an ashikabi."

"You want an ashikabi even though you can't be winged by him?" Karasuba asked teasingly. "You won't be able to use a norita even if you do get kissed."

"I don't care about the norita or about getting a power boost," I say. "All I want is an ashikabi who cares about me." Really was that asking for too much?

Karasuba shook her head while Minaka looked very amused. Then he did something typical of him, he made a sudden decision out of the blue.

"All right," he says and takes out a watch. "If you can get to the ground floor within sixty seconds I'll let you join the game and try and find an ashikabi."

Both my eyebrows leap up and even Karasuba's mouth opened as she stared at him in surprise.

"Are you serious?" I ask.

"Yes," he answers still looking at his watch. "But you only have fifty five seconds left. If you can't make it in time you will have to stay here as a test subject permanently."

We are on the observation level, eighty stories up. I cannot be sure of the elevator getting me down to the ground floor in time. Despite my great speed I am not sure I can race down the stairs fast enough either. That leaves me one alternative.

Balling up my fist I smash the window in front of me sending broken glass falling. I then leap out without hesitation. As I plummet I activate my ice powers to create a huge snow drift in the plaza below. When I land I still hit hard, but I have no serious injuries. People are pointing and shouting about snow in the middle of summer. They are also pointing at me as I leave the scene. It's only right at this moment I remember I'm wearing nothing but a cotton shirt and some panties, I don't even have shoes on my feet. I have no money and nowhere to go, but at least I am finally out of my cage.

XXXXXXXXXX

I wander through the streets of Tokyo in nothing but my shirt. A few men come up to me offering me money for sex, I ignore them. Most people avoid looking at me and stay clear. I can put together a V8 engine or cook a gourmet meal, but I have no idea of how to ask people for help. What am I supposed to do now?

I keep wandering looking for… I don't know. Someone who wants to talk to me for some other reason than to proposition me? Eventually I end up in the park sitting alone on a bench.

A little old woman comes up to me and tells me it's not safe here at night and that I should leave before it gets dark.

"I can't," I tell her. "I have nowhere to go. Because I'm broken, a failure sekirei."

She stares at me uncomprehending and slowly moves off. I think she is a kind person, but she can't help me. I can't go back. I'd rather die than go back to be a test subject again. But where am I supposed to go now? I have nothing and no one. I am alone and unwanted. I curl up on the bench feeling truly miserable. All I want is one person to care for me, that's all. After all I've suffered in my life why can't I be given just that?

I hear some footsteps approaching and look up to see two men. At first I assume they want to ask me for sex, but I notice one of them has a sword on his hip. I look more closely at his face.

"You're number five, Mutsu," I say and sit up.

He nods. "I am and this is my ashikabi, Mikogami Hayato."

An ashikabi? I look at him more closely, he is very young probably still in his teens with unkempt brown hair and a simple white outfit. For the first time I feel hope.

He eyes me with interest; his gaze is measuring and judging. "You're a failed sekirei," he says coolly. "But you still have power, I can use that. Come serve me and I'll give you a place and a purpose."

At last, what I have always wanted. I get up to my feet, more than willing to accept his offer. I have finally found my ashikabi. "I will serve you ashikabi-sama." I lean forward eager to seal my pledge.

He pulls away from me before I can kiss him. He looks annoyed. "There's no need for _that._"

Mutsu frowns, I think he understands. "Why not just give her one kiss?"

"I don't like doing that unless there's a reason to. She can't be winged so there's no reason for me to kiss her." He looks over at me and I can tell he's still annoyed. "Come with me; oh and from now on address me as master."

I bow my head and begin to follow him obediently. "Yes master."

Mutsu comes over to me and speaks in a whisper. "Don't worry; he's not too bad once you get to know him."

I nod my head without saying anything. This isn't how I imagined it would be, I really wanted to perform the ceremony even if I can't be winged. I wanted him to say that he at least cared about me a little.

I quickly focus on the positives. I have an ashikabi now, and even if he is cooler than I'd expected he _does _want me, if only for my power. I have a place now and a purpose other than to be experimented on. I am sure things will get better.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Akizu, let's go! The master has a job for us!" Yomi calls out.

"Yes," I reply calmly and follow her outside.

As soon as we sit down in the back of the limo master tells the driver to go. He doesn't even bother to acknowledge us.

For the past month I'd been living in master's spacious home with four other sekirei. I made some effort to get to know them but it was hard for me. Mutsu was the one to show the most patience with me, I think maybe he is my first friend.

I tried to be useful to my master but he never had anything for me to do. The only one of his sekirei he ever really talked to was Mutsu. The rest of us are ignored unless he has orders for us. I have a nice room, beautiful designer clothes, and all the luxuries money can buy.

But I don't feel really needed. I want master to look at me and talk to me. I want to _matter _to him. Even if I cannot bear his seal I want to make a connection between us, but I don't know how to. When he takes us to the botanical gardens I am very happy. It's my chance to prove my worth to him.

We are all very surprised to arrive to a battle between the forces of M.B.I. and four sekirei.

Master looks excited.

"Well this makes things more interesting." He turns to us. "Yomi, Akizu, you know what you have to do. Bring me number 108 no matter what. Don't bother to return without her, I have no use for weak sekirei."

"Heh, no need to worry master," Yomi replies with a smirk.

"Yes master," I answer solemnly. I know I must not fail, if I fail I lose everything.

XXXXXXXXXX

I see number 108 kiss the enemy ashikabi and wings of light appear. All the strength just flows right out of my body as I fall to my knees. I failed, I'm all alone again. "I failed you master."

"Bitch! I will kill you for threatening Minato!" His other sekirei screams. I don't try to get away.

"Tsukiumi-san wait! It's over! There's no more need to fight!" The ashikabi shouts.

I can't help wonder why he bothers trying to protect me. Mikogami wouldn't have, to him getting rid of enemy sekirei was always a good idea.

The blonde sekirei looked unbelievingly at her ashikabi. "Minato she would have hurt you!"

"She was just fighting for her ashikabi the same way you and Musubu were doing. Since she's stopped fighting there's no reason to hurt her anymore."

"No," I say resignedly. "Go ahead, kill me, I'd rather die than be abandoned again."

"What are you talking about?" He says in horror.

Looking up into his face I see worry. Why? Why would he be worried about me? My own master never even worried about me. For some reason I end up explaining my situation to him.

"I am nothing but a scrap number, an outdated and antiquated piece of equipment that belongs on the junk heap. I am alone and without purpose, death would be better than that."

"Don't say that!" He shouts. "I know how miserable it can be to be all alone! Before I met Tsukiumi-san I spent two whole years alone without any real friends or girlfriend. But just because you're alone now doesn't mean you always will be. Even if you can't be winged so what? Regular human beings can't be either and we live our lives just fine. You're a living person; don't think of yourself as junk! Your life has meaning! Don't give up on it just because you've hit a hard patch. If you just try I know your life will get better, I promise you."

Still sitting on the ground I look up at him. Why is my heart beating faster? Why do I feel warmer? "You really believe that?"

"I do," he says firmly.

"I wish my master had been more like you."

"Then why don't you become Minato-sama's sekirei?" The dark haired sekirei, the one I beat, comes over. "Minato-sama is a wonderful ashikabi; you would definitely like him better than your old one."

"Hey! What the hell are you talking about?!" The blonde one snaps. "He's already got three!"

"But four would be even better! She doesn't have an ashikabi of her own anymore and she's really powerful and we have plenty of room at the house. It would be wonderful. What do you think Minato-sama?"

I look at him hopefully.

He looks at me with a warm smile and with kind eyes. "What's your name?"

"I am Akizu," I say.

"Well Akizu my name is Sahashi Minato. I really don't know what sort of ashikabi I am, but if you want I'll be yours."

I slowly rise to my feet. "I would like that." Could he really be as kind as he seems? I can see the look in his other sekireis eyes. They truly care for him. I approach him and wonder if we will reject me. But no, he allows me to kiss him. I touch his lips and it's as though I can finally feel a connection to another's heart. I can't be winged so maybe this is all a delusion. But even if it is I am happy. "I pledge to you my faith and unquestioning loyalty, now and forever."

I am happy to have finally found you, my precious ashikabi-sama.


	19. Dinner At The Inn

As Tsukiumi and Minato approached the door to the Inn slid open. A woman with long purple hair dressed in a white and purple outfit bowed politely to them. "I am Asama Miya, the owner and landlord of the Izumo Inn. You are both welcome here."

Minato's mind was immediately set at ease to find the hostess was kind and genteel. He returned her bow. "I am Sahashi Minato, thank you for the kind invitation."

Tsukiumi also returned the bow that had been offered her. "I am Minato's wife, Tsukiumi, I too thank you landlady."

"Oh my," Miya said. She noted the wedding rings they both wore. "The two for you are married? That brings back memories; my poor husband has been gone for some time now."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Minato replied.

"I as well," Tsukiumi said. Instinctively she reached over took his arm and pressed herself close. "I cannot imagine what I would do if I ever lost my husband."

Miya saw the way Minato looked at her and immediately felt a bit better about him. The two of them clearly cared for one another. "Please come in, dinner is ready."

XXXXXXXXXX

She led them to the dining room where five places had been set out. Homura and girl with two pony tails and glasses were already seated.

"You both know Kagari of course," Miya said. "This is my other tenant Matsu who will also be joining us. I am afraid Uzume was called away rather suddenly and so won't be here."

"I hope it's nothing serious, "Minato said.

"It is a matter that cannot be ignored," Miya replied.

Minato blinked as he was not sure what that meant.

"I am so glad to finally get to meet you Mina-tan," Matsu said with an eager smile. She patted the floor next to her. Won't you please sit next to me?"

Before Minato could say anything Tsukiumi was standing over the girl in a flash staring down menacingly. "Why are you addressing my husband in such a familiar manner when he has never even met you before?"

Matsu backed up a bit. "I am just trying to be friendly," she said.

Tsukiumi narrowed her eyes. "Are you an unwinged sekirei by any chance?"

"Ah… well, yes actually." Matsu said with a weak grin.

The next thing she knew Tsukiumi had her by the collar and was literally dragging her out of the dining room.

"Tsukiumi-san what are you doing?" Minato called out.

"She is an unwinged one that means she doesn't get to be within a thousand yards of you! Or do you want a seventh?!"

"I didn't come here to wing anyone!"

"You never do! It just happens!"

Matsu was struggling to get loose while Homura tried to stifle his laughter.

"Tsukiumi-san?" Miya called out from her seat at the head of the table. "I don't allow violence in my Inn. Also as a guest please unhand my resident." As she spoke a scary hannya mask seemed to materialize.

Tsukiumi froze and released the struggling girl. "My apologies land lady, er, please excuse me for my behavior."

"Of course," Miya relied easily. "Just do not do it again. And Matsu? Please behave yourself or I will be upset with you."

"Yes Miya," she answered.

They returned to the table where Tsukiumi deliberately seated herself next to Miya, keeping Minato as far from her as she could.

"You seem very possessive of your husband," Miya noted.

Tsukiumi nodded. "I am forced to share him with his other sekirei, but I want to keep as much of him to myself as possible."

Miya nodded sympathetically. "It must be difficult, especially with a man who is a sex fiend."

"Wha… what?!" Minato gasped.

Homura groaned while Matsu began to giggle perversely.

"I… I am not a sex fiend!" Minato said.

"So you didn't have sex with multiple partners yesterday?" Miya asked politely.

Minato and Tsukiumi both turned a very deep red.

"Tha… that was the obligation Minato had to his concubines!" Tsukiumi said defending him.

Miya looked directly at Minato and smiled. "You refer to your sekirei as concubines and force them to wear perverted maid outfits? I can just imagine the sort of things that must go on there."

"It's not like that!" Minato gasped. "I swear everything happened in their rooms in private!"

"So you go from room to room servicing your _concubines_?"

"Minato is only doing what they want him to do!" Tsukiumi argued. "They are the ones who insisted on him sharing himself! Even Kusano got a hold of him."

"Kusano? You mean number 108? She is still a child I believe. What _exactly_ did you do with her?"

"Minato was very generous and gave her some of his attention as well," Tsukiumi said happily. "When Homura came to visit I found him up in her room playing with her. He had even brought his sister and her sekirei Shiina and had them join in the fun as well."

"Ku, ku, ku," Matsu giggled and rubbed her hands.

"I see," Miya said calmly still looking at Minato. The image of a demon again materialized. "So you were _playing _with a little girl, your own sister, and her male sekirei?"

"Uh, tha… that's right," Minato answered nervously.

"Please excuse me a moment," Miya rose smoothly to her feet. "I need to get something."

"What?' Homura asked worried.

"My sword."

XXXXXXXXXX

Uzume was kneeling by her ashikabi's hospital bed. She was pressing her hand tenderly to her cheek. "Please be all right, Chiho," she whispered. "Everything is fine as long as you are all right."

Chiho struggled to breathe; every breath came in a sharp rasp.

The door to the room and a gurney was wheeled in by a couple of orderlies led by a doctor. "I'm very sorry miss, but we have to take her up to surgery now."

Uzume nodded. "You're Doctor Takisho, aren't you? You're a specialist, the best in your field."

The man nodded as his patient was carefully moved onto the gurney. "I'll do the very best that I can for her."

Uzume nodded and wiped away the tears. "Thank you doctor." She leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Chiho's cheek. "I'll see you soon," she whispered.

She was then forced to just stand there and watch as the most precious person in the world to her was taken away. She had incredible strength and fighting power, but there was nothing she could do now to help her.

Almost as soon as they were out of the room a man in a neat business suit and glasses entered. Kakizaki nodded politely to her, she noted the folder he was carrying. "My condolences on the sudden downturn in your ashikabi's health. Both I and Higa-sama hope she will make a full recovery."

His words sounded and rancid to her. They had taken shameful advantage of her ashikabi's illness to force her to do their dirty work. But even so…

"Thank you for having Doctor Takisho here, and thank you for all the specialists you have brought in to treat her." No matter what their motivations they had helped her as much as was possible. She was ready to do _anything _so long as it helped Chiho.

"While this is tragic I am afraid we have business," he handed over the file her had. "We have a report that one of our targets had been spotted. We'd like you to deal with her."

"You mean right now?" Uzume said in shock. "But Chiho is in surgery! She needs me!"

"She will be in surgery for a number of hours," Kahizaki said coolly. "This information is only valuable until the target decides to move on. Eliminating the target is your priority. Your ashikabi will be in surgery for many hours. You can return in plenty of time to see her wake up."

_Heartless bastard! _She pitied the poor sekirei unlucky enough to get him for a master. "Fine," she growled and opened the folder to see who the target was.

"Higa-sama has every confidence you will be able to eliminate number three with no trouble."

XXXXXXXXXX

After hasty explanations from Tsukiumi and Homura bloodshed was avoided. Dinner was pleasant enough despite Matsu's constant glances and inviting smiles and Tsukiumi's equally constant growls and threats of swift and brutal punishment if she tried to kiss him.

At the end of the meal Matsu surprisingly excused herself and left to return to her room. Tsukiumi was relived as the four of them went to the parlor to enjoy some tea and cake for dessert.

Despite her original impression Miya's opinion of Minato was that he was likely not _too _bad an ashikabi. She figured Kagari's virtue would be safe.

"Kagari tells me you are determined to be the strongest," Miya said to Tsukiumi as she sipped some tea. "Could I ask you why?"

Tsukiumi looked over to Minato and blushed slightly. "Originally I wanted to prove that a sekirei did not need an ashikabi to be strong. Now though it is because of a promise I made to my husband. I have promised him that I will never lose, and so I will never leave his side. I want to be the strongest so I can always be with him."

Hearing it Minato reached over and took her hand gently into his. Tsukiumi leaned over to him and placed her head on his shoulder, the both drew close to one another.

Miya smiled at the simple ease the two of them comforted one another. It brought back memories. "Hmmm, well if you want to be the strongest maybe I can help. Would you like some training?"

"Training?" Tsukiumi asked questioningly. While the woman had a strange aura about her she didn't know what she would teach a sekirei about fighting.

"You should definitely accept her offer," Homura spoke up. "Training with Miya would definitely help you."

"Well, obviously if you recommend it I will accept the offer."

"Ah, excuse me," Minato spoke and slowly got up. "But where is the bathroom?"

"Down the hall second door to your right," Miya told him.

XXXXXXXXXX

Minato had just finished relieving himself when he felt a dark presence."

"Mi… na… tan," a voice whispered in his ear.

"Gah!" He shouted and jumped around. Matsu was standing right behind him grinning. He swiftly closed up his zipper. "Matsu what are you doing in here?!"

From outside the bathroom they heard Tsukiumi's call of concern. "Minato! Is something wrong?"

"I'm sorry it's so rushed," she said and grabbed hold of him. "But I have to take the chance."

He saw what was about to happen. "Oh no! Wa… mmmmm!!"

Tsukiumi kicked in the bathroom door to see her husband pressed against the wall with Matsu still kissing him. As soon as she let go of his lips wings of light and a sekirei crest appeared.

"I am at you service my ashikabi, now and forever." Matsu said. She then turned to the furious Tsukiumi at the doorway. "Heh, no hard feelings right?"

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!"

XXXXXXXXXX

From the parlor Miya and Homura could hear Matsu's half drowned screams along with Tsukiumi's murderous promises and Minato's desperate pleas.

"It sounds like Matsu just got winged."

"Yes," Miya said calmly. "More cake?"

XXXXXXXXXX

Kazehana was at her favorite spot overlooking the city with a large bottle of wine. Since Minato was out of the house she'd been bored and decided to go out for a bit.

She finished a glass and then placed the cap back on the bottle. "Have you come to have a drink with me Uzume?" She slowly turned her head to look at the veiled sekirei standing on a girder about fifty feet behind and above her. "Or are you here for another reason?"

The girl chuckled and pulled off the veil that was over her face. "I guess there's no fooling you, eh neesan?"

Kazehana climbed slowly to her feet. Despite her drinking she looked as steady as a rock. "What do you want?"

"I'm very sorry, but I have to eliminate you."


	20. A Serious Question

"I'm very sorry, but I have to eliminate you." Uzume told her.

"I see," Kazehana replied. "Normally I try and avoid pointless fights. But I was there that time you first met Minato. You crushed a weak sekirei and eliminated her even though her ashikabi was pleading for you to leave her alone. Then when a strong sekirei showed up you ran away." Kazehana slowly shook her head. "I know we have to fight sometimes but you're the sort I really hate, picking on the weak ones but running away from the strong."

"There was a reason for that," Uzume said.

"I'm all ears."

Though she wanted to explain herself and her actions she couldn't. She had been specifically warned not to reveal her connection to Higa. She could understand why Kazehana might see her as the, 'bad guy.' But she couldn't explain why she had to do any of this. "Never mind neesan, let's just do this." She sent all her veils racing for Kazehana.

The woman stood her ground and looked resigned. "You've made your choice." She lifted a single hand.

Uzume saw her veils fly back at her and was suddenly struck by a hurricane force wind. She had no chance to grab onto anything and was blown off her feet into the air. Caught like a leaf in the wind there was nothing she could do as she was slammed into a steel girder and then plummeted fifty feet to the nearest floor. She crashed hard and tasted blood in her mouth.

She was trying to get back up when she felt a hand rest on her back above her exposed crest.

"I am sorry," Kazehana said. "Wind of my pledge, blow away dark clouds for my Ashikabi."

"No," Uzume gasped as she felt the strength leaving her. "Chiho… I'm sorry…"

Kazehana watched as the girl's crest vanished and she was rendered unconscious. She took no joy in doing it, but the girl had done the exact same thing to another sekirei. If you played the game that way you had to take the consequences if you lost. She stayed there and patiently waited for the M.B.I. helicopters to come.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Miya-san is a meanie," Matsu complained. "You waited before coming to save me."

"I warned you to behave yourself Matsu," Miya chided. "Attacking Minato in the bathroom like that you deserved a little punishment."

"Just be glad you survived the experience at all," Kagari said. Tsukiumi and Minato had already gone home and the three of them were just talking before they each headed off to bed. "So now that you're his sekirei do you plan to move to his place?"

Matsu violently shook her head. "Tsukiumi says that she'll kill me if I do that. I think I'll stay right here. I'm probably safer from number nine and M.B.I. that way."

"Well you're definitely safer from Tsukiumi," Kagari noted. "I have seen her angry a lot of times but _never _like that."

Matsu shuddered at the memory.

"What about you Kagari?" Miya asked curiously. "Now that you have been winged will you be leaving me?"

Grinning he shook his head. "I think he has enough sekirei living with him to keep him safe so I'm not really needed. And how could I give up seeing my charming land lady every day?" Taking her hands he placed a soft kiss on it eliciting a giggle.

"I am very glad to hear that," Miya told him. "I would miss you if you were not living here." She looked troubled. "I worry about Uzume too you know."

He nodded sadly. "Yes, she is in a bad situation and it's not her fault." Though they did not speak of it they all knew that her ashikabi was seriously ill.

"Well hopefully she will be all right when she comes home."

Miya and the others were surprised by a knock at the door. "Who could that be?"

"Don't answer it!" Matsu shouted and grabbed onto Kagari for cover. "It's probably number nine come back to finish the job!"

"Let go of me before I cook you," Kagari told her.

Miya got to her feet. "I'll see who it is." She thought it might be Minato, perhaps come back to offer an apology for Tsukiumi's violent behavior. She knew it wouldn't be Uzume as she would have simply entered without bothering to knock. She unlocked the front door and slid it open. She was very surprised to see who it was.

"Kazehana? What are you doing here at this hour?"

"May I come in?" She asked in a rare serious mood. "There's something I need to tell you."

XXXXXXXXXX

The four of them all knew each other. Miya, Matsu, and Kazehana had all been embers of the first generation Disciplinary Squad while Homura had gotten to know her back when she still lived at the Inn. They sat stunned as they listened to Kazehana inform them that Uzume would not be coming back.

Miya calmly nodded. "Well, I suppose this means we have another room available. I will have to put her things into storage."

"Do you hate me for what I did?" Kazehana asked quietly.

Miya shook her head. "No, of course not, you did what you had to. I don't know why Uzume chose that fight but you certainly cannot be blamed for the end result."

"It's not your fault," Kagari agreed. "It's the fault of this insane game and the man who is forcing it on all of us."

Matsu looked at him nervously. "Please don't take this personally Kagari-kun."

"Well, I suppose I should get started cleaning out Uzume's room." Miya said.

"Can't you wait until morning?" Matsu asked.

"No, the sooner it's done the better," Miya replied. Once her back was turned and they could no longer see her face she let the silent tears fall.

"Damn that Minaka," Kagari muttered. He saw Kazehana look at him. "I know your feelings but that doesn't change what I think."

"I know that," Kazehana replied. "But please don't do anything rash.

"Don't worry, whatever I do will be well thought out." He promised.

"Why does that worry me?" Kazehana asked.

XXXXXXXXXX

"So is it confirmed?" Higa asked.

Kakizaki nodded. "Number ten has been eliminated."

Higa sighed. "Now that really is a shame, she was very useful. And of course it suit me risking her rather than my own sekirei." He rubbed his chin as he thought. "How many sekirei remain unwinged?"

"At present only three," Kakizaki answered instantly. "And none of them appear especially promising. Do you want to go after them?"

"No," Higa replied. "When the Third phase begins things will get more dangerous. I don't have a reason to hurry it along. What I need is another strong sekirei in my service to replace the one I just lost."

"Of course if you mean to recruit one that is already winged you will need to take the ashikabi into account as well," Kakizaki pointed out.

"Well that goes without saying." Higa said.

He opened a drawer in his desk and took out a folder with a series of pictures; various winged sekirei and their ashikabi. The fact a sekirei could be winged only once and gained greater power from a master's kiss made things more challenging. In some ways the ashikabi was more important than the sekirei. If you could win over the ashikabi's services willingly then the sekirei would naturally follow along.

With that in mind he took out two photos, one of a sekirei and one of an ashikabi. "This is who we'll target for recruitment."

Kakizaki looked at the photo and nodded. "It'll be tricky," he declared.

"Fortunately I like a good challenge."

"Oh since number ten is now gone what do we do about Chiho?"

"Send the specialists home and let her get the usual care," Higa said without interest. "She's terminal anyway."

XXXXXXXXXX

The next morning Homura arrived at the castle and asked to have a word alone with Minato.

"Thi… this isn't about experimenting is it?" Minato asked nervously.

Homura shook his head embarrassed. "Minato please get your mind out of the gutter, otherwise I'm going to start thinking that you really _are _some kind of sex fiend."

They were alone in one of the many private rooms in the castle.

"Okay, what do you want to talk about?"

"First I want to bring up a very serious matter and need you to promise you will let me present my full argument to you before you make a decision."

Minato looked surprised by the sudden heavy atmosphere. "All right, I promise that whatever it is I'll hear you out before I decide."

"Thanks," Homura nodded gratefully. He couldn't ask for more than that.

"So what is this about?"

"I want to know if you'll help me kill Minaka."


	21. Minato's Answer

"Kill Minaka?" Minato whispered in shock. "You… you mean _murder_ him?"

"That's right," Homura said without a bit of hesitation. "He needs to die to bring this insanity to an end."

"You can't be serious," Minato argued. "How can you even ask me something like this?"

"You said you would hear me out before giving me a decision."

Minato stared at him. "You're really serious aren't you?"

"I'm not the sort of man to talk about killing someone lightly," Homura told him. "I'm absolutely serious."

"Why are you even coming to me about this?"

"Because you're my ashikabi and I owe you this, at the very least you need to know my reasoning. And also I understand that if I go alone it's almost certainly a suicide mission unless I can time it for when the Discipline Squad is out of the Tower. On the other hand if you were to act we just might, be able to succeed even if we do have to face them."

"Me? What can I do?"

"Minato," Homura began patiently. "Including myself you have seven sekirei. Of which **four **are single numbers. Matsu won't be worth anything in a fight, but she can provide useful intelligence. Kazehana, Tsukiumi, and I are all very powerful. From what Tsukiumi tells me it seems Musubi, Akizu, and even Kusano all have considerable strength and combat potential. If all six of us went in together I am confident we could at least keep the Disciplinary Squad busy long enough to take out Minaka."

"You want me to ask my sekirei to commit murder? And to fight the Disciplinary Squad that is supposed to be so lethal?"

"This isn't about murdering one man," Homura said angrily. "It's about saving the entire sekirei race! I want to stop this insanity before any more innocent sekirei suffer needlessly."

"Does this have to do with what happened to Uzume?" Minato asked carefully. "Kazehana told me what happened."

"That was the trigger, I'll admit. But I've been thinking about this for awhile now." He looked at his ashikabi pleadingly. "Minato, what do you think of the Sekirei Plan? This idea that all sekirei must fight and fight until one is left standing. Does it make sense to you?"

"Not really," Minato admitted. "The truth is I don't want any of my sekirei to get hurt. I especially don't want to lose any of them. All I really want is to live with Tsukiumi and the others in peace."

Homura nodded. "And I'll bet that's what most of the ashikabi and sekirei want, just to live in peace and be together. But instead they are forced to fight. Forced to beat each other until one of the other is removed from the 'game' and taken away from their ashikabi."

Minato immediately thought of the fight at the botanical gardens and the girl Tsukiumi had defeated. He then thought about the run in with that veiled sekirei and the poor ashikabi that was left in tears. The idea that something like that could happen to any of his sekirei, but especially Tsukiumi, had haunted him.

"I… I understand what you're saying, but to murder someone…" He slowly shook his head. "I just can't agree to that."

"It's the only way to end this," Homura said. "As long as Minaka is alive he has all the resources of M.B.I., the support of the Disciplinary Squad, and the advanced technology still hidden away on Kimakura. He is the only one who is committed to this insane idea. He's basically just a child playing with his toys. In his mind all this fighting and suffering really is just one big game. As long as he lives he will _never _give this up. He has already spent twenty tears of his life setting the stage for it. But if he dies…

Homura paused a bit for dramatic effect. "Everything changes, I have no idea who his successor will be, but they won't be wedded to this nonsense. M.B.I. isn't really a corporation; it's really just Minaka's personal property. He only cares about it as far as it supports his ambition to make the Sekirei Plan come to life. Someone who was actually trying to run M.B.I. as a business wouldn't care about any of this. The sekirei would get the chance to live and love without having to be ready to fight at any given moment."

"But… but what would happen next?" Minato asked. "What would happen to the technology and the Disciplinary Squad? What is the next CEO is somehow worse?"

"That would be impossible," Homura said flatly. "As to what would happen next I honestly have no idea, but whatever it is it would have to be better than this."

"You can't know that for sure."

"Minato," Homura asked. "Are you actually worried about that, or are you just trying to find reasons not to do anything?"

He looked down nervously. "I… I really don't like the Sekirei Plan. I don't like the fact that the sekirei are forced to fight one another whether they want to or not. But to actually commit murder, even for a noble reason… I don't think I can accept that."

"It would be nice if things could always be settled peacefully and without bloodshed. But that's hopelessly naïve. In this world there are times when violence, when war, is the only answer. The logic is impossible to get around. The Sekirei Plan will not end as long as long as Minaka is in power, and the only way to remove him from power is feet first."

"I'm sorry, but I guess I can't see things quite as rationally as you. I just can't support killing someone that easily."

"Well, there is one more thing you should consider," Homura pointed out. "You do realize that even if the best case scenario prevails, and by some miracle all you sekirei are able to make to the end. They'll have to fight each other. You do know that right?"

"Fight each other?" Minato said horrified. "But we're all friends!"

"And do you think Minaka will care about _that_? The fight goes on until there is only one _sekirei _left. If the last ones belong to the same ashikabi they will have to face each other, and since they won't be able to use the norito to remove crests they will have to beat each other senseless. I assume that you'll want Tsukiumi to be the last one. That means me, Kazehana, Matsu, Musubi, Akizu, and even Kusano will have to be removed. Is _that_ what you want?"

"Of course not! I don't want that to happen to any of you!"

"If you really mean that then act, **now** while there's still time." Homura said fervently. "If you don't then what I described is the best possible outcome you can hope for under the Sekirei Plan." He turned to leave. "You don't have to make a final decision yet, but time is short."

"Homura!" Minato called. "If I say no what will you do?"

"I'll do what I have to," he said. "Anyway thanks for hearing me out, I promise I won't do anything without talking top you again first, so don't worry about me."

Homura left Minato with a lot to think about.

XXXXXXXXXX

Yukari was at a designer men's clothing store picking outfits with Shiina. As tempting as it was she couldn't take him out in public in his sailor suit.

"I love getting to go shopping with just the two of us," Yukari said happily. "It's great that you have your own V.I.P. card."

Shiina smiled at her. "As long as you're happy I'm happy Yukari-san."

She felt a sweet warm feeling deep inside. Though she loved teasing him and playing with him the truth was she really did love him.

Looking happily at the clothes in front of her she really didn't notice as a few girls arrived with a man in a white suit. A couple of the girls causally went over to a rack of clothes near the one Yukari was looking at.

"Oh that's soooo cute!" A very short childlike girl with a ribbon in her hair exclaimed.

"Yes, very cute," her companion agreed. She was a red head in a yellow and black jump suit.

Slightly curious Yukari wandered over. "Oh, what are you looking at?"

Without warning the girl in the yellow and black reached out and grabbed Yukari around the throat. Startled Yukari tried to break free, but the woman's grip was like iron.

"Yukari-san!" Shiina shouted. "Let her go!"

"Now don't do anything stupid," the cute girl with the ribbon said. If you use your power on us you'll hurt her too. Even if you could somehow control it well enough not to my friend Gatsuragi will just have to snap her neck."

"If you hurt her I will kill you," Shiina said in a cold and heartless voice.

"I have no intention of hurting her at all," a man in a white suit said. He approached with a girl standing to either side of him. "My name is Izumi Higa. I apologize for the abrupt methods of introducing myself but it was necessary to avoid any unfortunate misunderstandings."

"What do you want?" Shiina asked.

"Just for all of us to become friends and work together, that's all. Let's go to my home so we can talk."


	22. Sometimes violence is the only answer

When Yukari and Shiina did not return in time for dinner no one thought anything of it. Minato knew Yukari was trying to be more and more independent and with Shiina's V.I.P. card she had the funds to do as she pleased. He complained that she didn't at least call but thought nothing more of it.

Until the next morning.

XXXXXXXXXX

As he and Tsukiumi were heading down to breakfast and upset Kusano came up to him.

"Oniichan! Shiina-kun never came home! Ku is worried about him!"

"Yukari and Shiina stayed out all night?" Minato said in surprise. "Now that's really irresponsible. I don't care how old she is she should at the very least have called."

He took out his cell phone and called Yukari. He frowned as his call went directly to voice mail. That wasn't like Yukari at all; she _never _left her cell phone off ort set it to voice mail.

Tsukiumi immediately picked up the change in his mood. "Kusano, why don't you go into the dining room? Oniichan will be with you in a little bit." The little girl nodded and did as she was told. "Minato," Tsukiumi I said in a low voice. "What's wrong?"

"Yukari shut her phone off," Minato answered. "She never does that. I'm really worried."

Tsukiumi frowned and spoke cautiously not wanting to upset him. "Since she was with Shiina it's possible he had to fight another sekirei."

"Wait, do you think…"

"I don't know what to think husband, I just mention it's a possibility." She suddenly looked unhappy. "Though I don't like it you have a special resource you can use to try and find out what happened."

"What do you mean?"

XXXXXXXXXX

"Mina-tan I am so happy you came back by," Matsu said.

"Uh, I'm sorry Matsu-san," Minato said apologetically. "But this isn't a social call."

"That's right," Tsukiumi growled. "Just help us find Yukari and Shiina and we'll be on our way." The three of them were up in Matsu's hidden room. Tsukiumi intended to stay by her husband's side for every second from here on out. She didn't trust that sneaky little Matsu as far as she could throw her. But she had heard from Homura that she could hack into the M.B.I. mainframe at will and access all sorts of information about sekirei and ashikabi's.

Matsu looked uncomfortably over at Tsukiumi before smiling at Minato again. "Trust me Mina-tan, sekirei number two; the sekirei of wisdom will definitely not let you down! If they are anywhere in Tokyo I'll find them!"

**30 minutes later**

"I can't find them!" Matsu said miserably.

"I knew this would end up being a waste of time," Tsukiumi said. "Let's go Minato. The rest of your sekirei and I will begin searching for them."

"Tsukiumi, Tokyo is a really big city and they would be anywhere." He looked back patiently at Matsu. "What do you mean you can't find them? You said M.B.I. kept constant track of all sekirei and ashikabi with their spy satellite."

"They do," Matsu confirmed. "But if they're indoors that doesn't help. They keep updates about their activities for the previous twelve hours. But there's nothing for either of them, so they must have been indoors for at least that long."

"Is it possible Shiina fought a duel and was eliminated?" Tsukiumi asked quietly. "If that were the case I could imagine Yukari going somewhere to grieve."

Matsu shook her head. "I checked that right off. Shiina is still listed as active. As a matter of fact no sekirei has been eliminated in the last three days."

"So that's good news, right?' Minato asked hopefully.

"Maybe," Matsu said. "All it really tells us is that M.B.I. doesn't know where they are. That could still mean anything."

"Is there anything you can do Matsu-san?" Minato asked pleading.

She immediately nodded. "So far I have only been checking the M.B.I. data base. I can expand my search to look at the local police network and also hospital records." She decided not to mention she would also be checking the morgue records too. "Please leave it to me Mina-tan! As your sekirei I promise I will not let you down."

Every time she heard that perverted little Matsu call her husband, 'Mina-tan' Tsukiumi felt the urge to bite her. But for her husband's sake she kept quiet.

XXXXXXXXXX

A couple hours later Minato and Tsukiumi were in the parlor with Miya and Homura having tea and cake as they waited.

"Please again accept my deepest sorrow for your sister and her ashikabi," Miya said. "I am sure they will turn up safe."

"Matsu really is a genius at finding things out," Homura told them. "I'm sure she'll track them down." _Though that doesn't mean anything good has happened to them._

"I am sure everything will be fine Minato," Tsukiumi told him quietly. She was holding his hand and sitting close beside him. Her first instinct was to be out on the roof tops searching for Yukari and Shiina, to be _doing_ something. But she realized that at this moment what he needed most was a supportive wife.

Minato looked over at her gratefully and gave her hand a slight squeeze. It was good to have such kind people around him at a time like this. Without this support he was afraid he would be going out of his mind.

"Are you going to call your mother and let her know she is missing?' Miya asked politely.

"No," Minato replied firmly. "I don't want to worry her if it just turns out they got drink or something and are in a hotel room somewhere."

Miya and Homura shared a glance.

"That's probably the right decision," Homura agreed. "You should wait until you know more. She hasn't even been gone twenty four hours yet."

Miya frowned ever so slightly but remained silent.

"Mina-tan!" Their heads all turned at Matsu's shout. "I've found them!"

XXXXXXXXXX

Minato was watching the same scene repeat for the fourth time. Yukari and Shiina were in a department store when two girls grabbed a hold of Yukari as Shiina could only watch. Then a man in a suit approached with two other women, sekireis, and said something to Shiina. After that they all left together. The image of the man's face was blown up. Then another image of the dame man was pulled up along with an extensive file.

"This is very, very bad," Matsu said worriedly. "It looks like they were kidnapped by Izumi Higa, the Ashikabi of the East."

"Kidnapped? I don't understand." Minato said. "I thought the sekirei plan was based on one to one fights that weren't supposed to involve the ashikabi."

"It is," Tsukiumi sounded offended. "This man Higa is acting completely outside the rules and without honor."

"When it comes to war there are no rules," Homura said simply. "Higa obviously is interested in acquiring power and doesn't give a damn about Minaka's rules."

"Matsu is there any way to find out where he's holding her?" Minato asked desperately.

Matsu tapped some more buttons on her keyboard and the image of a building came up. "While it's impossible for me to confirm it's very likely they're staying here. Higa owns the top five floors of this building and is using it as his home and base of operations. I doubt he'll want Yukari and Shiina far away from him after going to the trouble of kidnapping them." Matsu told him. "But finding their location isn't the problem."

"What do you mean?" Minato asked.

"This man obviously intends to use Yukari as a hostage to force Shiina to bend to his will." Homura said. "He already has nine sekirei in his service. Forcing him to give them up won't be easy."

"We won't have to," Minato said. "We can call the police and have them handle it. With this evidence they'll have to go and arrest him and free both of them."

The others in the small room all stared at him in obvious disbelief.

"Minato you can't be that naïve," Homura told him. "You actually think the _police_ can do anything against an ashikabi with nine sekirei?"

"Whether he's an ashikabi or not he still has to obey the law! He can't just go around kidnapping people and thinking he can get away with it!"

"The only _law _right now is Minaka's!" Homura shot back. "If you want your sister and her sekirei back you have only one option. Gather together your sekirei and take her back by force!"

"You want me to start an actual battle and put everyone in danger?" Minato cried.

"It's not an ideal solution I know," Homura said. "But sometimes violence is the only answer."

"I don't believe that! There has to be another way to solve this!"

"Husband," Tsukiumi spoke up. "I am sorry, but I agree with my rival. This man is a wild dog. You don't deal politely with such a beast, you put it down."

Even Matsu nodded. "Mina-tan, I don't like it either but you won't get any help from the police of from M.B.I."

Minato felt a warm hand on his shoulder. He looked over to see Miya giving him a warm smile. "You are a good brother and a good ashikabi to be worried so, but you will have to put either your sekirei or your sister and Shiina at risk. Though it pains me to say it Homura-kun is right, violence is sometimes unavoidable."

He looked unhappy and very worried. "Maybe you're all right," Minato confessed. "But before I resort to something like that I'll do everything else I can first."

XXXXXXXXXX

Minato and Tsukiumi were soon gone. Once they had left Homura put on his 'work clothes' and mask.

"Where are you going?" Miya asked.

"I'm going to tell Takami that her daughter has been kidnapped and see if she can convince Minaka to do something."

"She won't be able to," Miya said with certainty.

"Yeah, I know, but I still need to try." He left and was quickly gone from sight.

Miya was standing by the open door way looking up into the morning sky. _It seems that a terrible storm is brewing, _she thought sadly.

XXXXXXXXXX

Minato and Tsukiumi were standing in the executive office of Hiroto Minaka. Tsukiumi was not the only sekirei present. Karasuba was there as well with her usual unnerving grin. She was simply standing off to one side silently looking on.

"I hope you don't mind Karasuba' presence," Minaka said grandiosely. "It's nothing against you of course Minato. Just a precaution I take whenever meeting and sekirei of ashikabi not directly under my control. Now what can I do for the Ashikabi of the North?"

"It's about my sister Yukari and her sekirei Shiina; they've both been kidnapped by Izumi Higa. I've already gone to the police but they told me that they've been specifically ordered to stay out of ashikabi and sekirei matters, they won't do anything."

Minaka nodded. "Of course, that order was actually for their own safety more than anything else. If they tried to interfere the only result would be a blood bath of police officers."

Minato nodded, showing a patience he didn't really feel any more. "They told me the only ones who can deal with them are M.B.I. That's why I've come here to ask for your help."

"Help with what Minato?"

"With freeing my sister and her sekirei!" Minato said angrily. "What happened to them was outside the rules of the Sekirei Plan and against the law to boot! You have to force Higa to release them."

Minaka shook his head dramatically. "I can do no such thing. Whether it was following the rules or not it was part of the game. I am here to help the game along, not to try and fix its outcome. Those who try and interfere with the gods will always be struck down. I will let things play out however they are meant to." He grinned merrily. "You of course are free to retaliate as you please. I will not interfere in your actions any more than I will with his."

Minato stared at the man and began to feel sick. "What is this to you? Do you really think this is all just a game?"

Minaka laughed. "Of course it is! It is a grand game of the gods! Legends will be forged a new and the world will be replenished! Think of it Minato! A pitched battle in the heart of the city as the entire world looks on!! A struggle to recover a lost princess and her captured knight! Think of the drama of that! What a scene it will make!"

"My sister's life is not part of some stupid game!" He roared furiously.

"Ku, ku, ku," Karasuba laughed. "He's a passionate one isn't he? I bet Mu-chan loves him."

Minaka was still smiling, not put out in the slightest by Minato's anger. "We are all just pieces to be moves and expended as the gods see fit. Embrace your role Minato! Play the hero and bring us all something we've never seen before!"

"You… you _want_ this don't you? You want me to put everyone's lives at risk just to give you a _show_?"

"More than a show Minato, but the chance at immortality. A thousand years from now they will talk of this and your name will live on. You can become a legend!"

Minato stared at the man. He was disgusted that anyone could really think like that when there were lives at stake.

"Minato," Tsukiumi spoke with quiet dignity. "This is pointless; you will obviously get no help here."

He slowly nodded. "You're right Tsukiumi, let's… lets' get the hell out of here." He left with a heavy heart. He now knew what he had to do.

XXXXXXXXXX

"You can come out now," Minaka called once they'd departed.

The door to his private bath opened and an angry Takami stepped out. "Minaka, I always knew you were a bastard but are you really going to sit here and do nothing?"

"I'm not here to control the game; I just want to let it play out however it is meant to."

"Minaka you heartless bastard she's _your daughter too!_" Takami shrieked. "Doesn't that mean anything to you at all?!"

"Not really," he said with complete honesty. "It never has before so why do you think it would matter now?"

She looked at him with complete and utter loathing. Had Karasuba not been present she really might have tried to kill him. "If anything happens to Yukari I swear I'll never forgive you."

Minaka laughed. "If something happens blame the gods not me."

XXXXXXXXXX

In the castle all seven of his sekirei had gathered. Pale and shaken Minato had explained to them exactly what had happened and how he had tried to find a way to help his sister.

"I can't abandon my sister," he told them quietly. "All my life whenever she has needed me I have gone to help her. No matter what the danger is I _have _to do whatever I can to free her. I know how dangerous this will be and I have no right to order you to put yourselves in that sort of risk. But… but I ask each of you if you will come and fight with me."

Tsukiumi wrapped her arms around him and answered first. "As your wife I will always fight for you Minato! No matter what the danger I'll never leave your side!"

Akizu took a step forward. "I will fight for you master."

"Musubi will definitely fight for Minato-sama!"

"Oniichan I'll help you get back your neesan and Shiina-kun!"

"Well you know I'll be there my love," she said with a wink. "I can't let anyone hurt my man."

Homura gave a stoic nod. "I'll fight for you Minato."

"I'm afraid I can't help in a fight Mina-tan," Matsu told him. "But I can give you tactical support and draw up a battle plan."

Minato nodded his head appreciatively. "Thanks, all of you." He took a deep breath. "As soon as Matsu has a plan ready we attack."


	23. I understand now

Karasuba was standing out on the upper observation deck of M.B.I. Tower. She had her usual playful grin as she watched the helicopters hurrying off to the east. Minaka really was an idiot; he played silly games with forces he could never hope to really control.

But he certainly was entertaining.

She felt a strong breeze blowing in from the east. "How delicious," she said playfully. "It smells of blood tonight."

XXXXXXXXXX

Higa and Kakizaki both received text messages at the same moment. The two men had similar reactions; remaining calm but with a slight look of concern.

"Well this explains why there are M.B.I. helicopters buzzing all around my home," Higa noted.

"'From M.B.I. President Minaka to ashikabis Higa and Kakizaki. I wish to inform you that Sahashi Minato, known as the Ashikabi of the North is at this moment leading his sekirei to attack yours in a heroic effort to rescue his sister. Please do your utmost to provide not only me but the entire world a spectacular battle that shall live on through the ages.'" Kakizaki read out the message in a dull uninterested voice. "Nice of him to warn us."

"He just doesn't want us to be taken off guard," Higa stated. "He wants us ready to put up a big fight. As usual his only interest is this ridiculous game."

"So what do we do?" Kakizaki. "Counting my sekirei and yours we have a total of nine, not including Shiina of course."

"We definitely can't count on him unless his ashikabi comes over to my side." Higa said with an annoyed frown. "I'd hoped to have a few days to win her over to my way of thinking. She's stubborn but I'm sure I could have done it eventually."

"Even with the edge in numbers do you want to risk an all out battle? He has three single numbers after all." Kakizaki hesitated. "Perhaps a strategic retreat would be the best option."

"You mean let them go? Yukari and Shiina?" Higa shook his head. "Number 107 is much too valuable for that. Besides, I never hand over anything just because of a threat."

"Then we really are going to fight them?" Kakizari was a very pragmatic man; he had no objection at all to using violence as a means to an end. But he believed in doing so only when the odds were in his favor.

"No," Higa said firmly. He'd worked too hard to build up his power base to risk losing it in a fight against such a formidable opponent. "Whatever Minaka may want I have no intention of fighting today. Hopefully her brother is a good deal more sensible than she is."

"What do we do if he's just as stubborn?"

"We'll convince him to stand down using other means," Higa told him.

"What do you have in mind Higa-sama?" Kakizaki asked nervously.

"Take all the sekirei up to the roof to meet them. Here's what I want you to tell Minato…"

Kakizaki listened carefully. He was not too surprised by the plan his superior had come up with. As usual with Higa his idea was utterly ruthless and pragmatic.

"If he takes this the wrong way," Kakizaki mentioned. "Things could go very badly."

"Then we'll just have to make sure they go the right way." Walking over to a cabinet he unlocked it and took out a .45 caliber hand gun. "Now hurry to the roof and get ready."

XXXXXXXXXX

Tsukiumi was the one carrying him over the roof tops. Looking at her face he couldn't see even a hint of nervousness or doubt. She looked absolutely eager and confident. When it came to fighting she never had any doubts at all.

He wished he could feel that way.

"Am I doing the right thing?" He asked, just loud enough for her to hear.

His wife gave him a single curt nod. "Of course you are Minato! Your sister and Shiina have been kidnapped and are counting on you to rescue them. What choice do you have?"

"But if any of you get hurt…"

"Minato!" She said sharply. "You can't let that effect your decision! It is a sekirei's duty to fight for the ashikabi's sake. In the end we each take a chance, but if it is for you we will gladly suffer anything. So even if someone is hurt or even lost today don't feel guilty. Each of us is here of our own free will, and the choice you are making is the only one possible."

He nodded and tried to mirror her certainty. He really didn't have a choice, but he prayed that no one had to suffer because of what he was doing.

XXXXXXXXXX

As they neared the skyscraper Higa used they came to a halt about a block away. Matsu had provided them with a complete list of the enemy sekirei they would be facing. Of the nine five were 'close combat' types; relying on fists or weapons to fight with. None of them were noted as being especially strong. The battle strategy Matsu had come up with was straightforward and brutal. Having fire, wind, water, and ice available to them they would overwhelm the enemy with strikes from a distance. Then they would close in with Musubi leading them to hopefully mop up any sekirei who still wanted to fight.

They would need to use all the raw power possible to have a decisive advantage.

Tsukiumi set him down and her face became a little darker. She was suddenly nervous. Minato found in unspeakably endearing that she could go into battle fearlessly but doing _this _in public made her nervous. "Minato, please give me a kiss."

"I'm more than happy to." He gave her a sweet loving kiss. Wings of light appeared and she felt the heat she always did when he kissed her lips. Her power level was given a massive boost and she now had the ability to use her norito.

"Fu, fu, fu my turn next!" Kazehana cried and jumped forward to kiss him.

"Musubi's turn! Musubi's turn!"

When Ku-chan came up to kiss him he felt a bit dirty. Especially as the little girl kissed him for a really long time.

Tsukiumi finally had to pull her off of him.

Homura then came up and lowered his mask. "Well you know…"

"Er, yeah…" Minato replied not able to look him in the eye.

"Sorry about this," Homura said and finally kissed him, feeling the same all consuming heat as the others all did. As soon as the kiss ended his wings of light appeared and he quietly stepped away hiding a blush. _Damn, am I actually starting to like this?_

Last of all Akizu approached him.

"Hey! You don't have a reason to kiss him!" Tsukiumi barked out. She really did hate seeing him kiss anyone but her. She tolerated it now only because it was necessary for the battle.

"Even though it will not make me stronger I would still like to receive the master's blessing." Her voice was as calm and flat as ever but she looked to him hopefully.

Smiling Minato nodded. "Everyone else has gotten a kiss so it's only fair that you get one too."

He looked at her with those same gentle eyes he always had. In that moment what Akizu wanted more than anything else was just to be like all the others and be able to fight for him with all the power her body had. Shutting her eyes she kissed him.

Minato's eyes were also closed so only the two of them missed what happened. As they kissed the sekirei crest on her forehead began to glow and then faded away. The others gasped as wings of light formed and stretched out behind Akizu. She felt a wonderful heat flow out of her heart and through her whole body. She suddenly felt a new and even stronger connection to Minato as a sekirei crest now appeared on her back.

They both opened their eyes and looked at one another.

Akizu felt hot tears flowing down her face. "At last I really belong to you master. Number seven, the ice sekirei; Akizu is yours now and forever."

"Number seven?!" Minato cried.

She happily nodded. "My adjuster Takehito told me that was my designation. I never used it before because I was a broken sekirei."

"How is this possible?" Homura asked. "A sekirei is only supposed to be able to be winged once."

"Well she was the first one winged," Tsukiumi said. "Maybe the process wasn't actually completed."

"Well I think it was because of her love for her ashikabi," Kazehana said dreamily and began to twirl about. "When a sekirei's heart is filled with love anything is possible!"

Homura shook his head. "Well whatever the explanation we still have a fight to win."

Minato nodded and tried to look as sure of himself as he could. "That's right everyone, let's go and do this."

XXXXXXXXXX

Kakizaki looked on nervously as the enemy approached. He'd noted the sudden change in mood as all the girls went from confident to worried in the blink of an eye.

"This is bad," cute little Oriha said softly.

Kakizaki got the feeling she hadn't meant for him to hear. "What is?" he asked.

Oriha looked at him nervously. "All his sekirei have been given a boost and can use the norito; we can all feel the difference in the power level. We need Higa-sama right away or we're screwed."

"Don't worry, there isn't going to be an actual battle," Kakizaki assured.

The building suddenly shook violently. A huge green plant stalk at least forty feet thick wrapped itself all around the building causing windows to break and steel girders to bend inwards.

"Do they know that?" Oriha asked him looking a bit pale.

Minato and his sekirei landed on the vines, not actually stepping onto the building's roof. All his sekirei looked angry and ready to fight. By comparison Kakizaki could see that while his and Higa's sekirei were standing their ground they did not look near as ready as they had just a moment before.

_Is the difference in power really that great? _Kakizaki wondered and had second thoughts about Higa's plan. Retreat might really be the best choice, but he was not the one in charge.

"I know you have my sister Yukari and her sekirei Shiina prisoner here," Minato announced. "I've come to rescue them. If you'll just hand them over to me my sekirei and I will leave in peace. We don't want to fight you, but we will if we have to."

As he watched he saw the blonde sekirei next to Minato lean over and whisper something in his ear. Minato listened and nodded. Kakizaki was sure she had just informed him that only one sekirei on the opposing side had received a boost.

"I'm very glad to hear that," Kakizaki called out. "My employer Higa also wished to avoid needless conflict."

"Then give me back my sister and Shiina and we'll just go."

"I'm afraid that would be impossible," Kakizaki announced. "You see he and Yukari have fallen deeply in love and intend to marry. Naturally she wants to remain here by her future husband's side."

"Please don't treat me like I'm an idiot," Minato called out. "First off there's no way my sister would marry any guy she'd just met. Secondly I saw her get _kidnapped _with a sekirei holding her by the throat."

"Ah that was just a misunderstanding," Kakizaki said coolly. "He has since explained that he only wanted the chance to speak with her and the two of them have now grown quite close."

"Then let me talk to her." Minato insisted. "If she says she wants to stay here then that's fine. But I want to hear it from her."

"Of course, Higa-sama is bringing her as we speak and…"

A gun shot rang out clear as day.

Minato's breath caught. "Yukari…" His fists clenched as the terrible possibilities filled his head.

"Wait! Before you do anything rash!" Kakizaki shouted. He had been as caught off guard as Minato. What had happened?

"Take them out!" Minato screamed. "Take them all out!"

That was all his sekirei need to hear.

"Well spring of my heart; wash away all threats to my ashikabi!"

"Wind of my pledge, blow away dark clouds for my ashikabi!"

"Fist of my contract, break the calamity of my ashikabi!"

"Fires of my soul, burn away all dangers to my ashikabi!"

"Ice of my devotion, freeze all who challenge my ashikabi!"

Kakizaki could only stand there and stare. The skies above them had turned black as wind and snow buffeted the helicopters trying to keep their cameras steady. Red hot fire blazed around one sekirei while a _wave _materialized above another. One more was smiling and shaking as a sickening aura of raw power engulfed her.

"We are going to get beat so bad!" Oriha wailed. Nevertheless she threw the circular blades that were her weapons. No matter the odds all the sekirei rushed forward to fight.

Oriha watched as white hot flames blocked her weapons and made them all _melt _while still in flight. She had no chance to complain though as the very next second she was underwater. The entire roof was flooded with about ten feet of water. The vines that had wrapped around the roof acted as a retainer allowing the water to pool. Oriha and the others had to struggle to reach the surface.

Almost as soon as she did so the water was frozen sold. Caught half submerged she shivered with the sudden cold. She tried desperately to free herself but was not physically strong enough to do so. She saw only four of the others able to free themselves. All these tried to run over the ice to attack their enemies, only to run into hurricane force winds and scattered like leaves in a storm.

She saw her friend Katsuragi get back up to her feet to try again. She had only started when she was faced with the sekirei with the dangerous aura. Oriha could only watch as their enemy delivered a single punch to her friend's face that sent her crashing back down cracking the ice. Oriha winced knowing there was no way Katsuragi was getting up again. The enemy gave a loud cheer and raced for Ichiya who had her two swords ready. She had never seen Ichiya miss before but when she struck the other girl just wasn't there. Another vicious punch and the sword master was down and not moving. There was another shout of joy and the enemy girl was now running towards Toyotama and her staff.

Oriha looked away not wanting to see what was about to happen. This wasn't a battle, it was nothing but slaughter! Where was Higa?

XXXXXXXXXX

Higa was calmly sitting down on the couch with a scotch in his hands and the gun resting on the table. Only fifteen feet away was the now lifeless Yukari.

As he slowly drank he wondered why it had all gone so wrong. All he'd wanted was for her to come up to the roof with him and explain to her brother that she was fine and that there was no need for him to fight. It was a reasonable request. The gun had only been there for intimidation, he hadn't even realized the safety was off. If she had only been reasonable…

He shook his head; he just didn't understand people who had to be so stubborn. As he'd tried to lead her to the elevator she had made the stupid decision to grab the gun. They'd struggled, and the gun had gone off. One shot through the heart, there'd been nothing he could do.

Now he would probably be arrested and have to have a trial. It would be an inconvenience, but with no witnesses he would be able to get the best possible lawyers to have him acquitted. The real tragedy was that he had lost his bid for real power today. Minato would certainly eliminate all his sekirei and he would have to exit this silly game and give up his dreams of ruling this country. He would just have to settle for being one of the oligarchs who ran things from behind the scenes.

The door to his apartment was smashed in by a brunette girl in an outfit that resembled a priestess's. She was quickly followed by Minato and the other sekirei. Higa remained seated where he was, careful to offer no resistance; his part in all this was done.

As soon as he saw her lying there Minato gave out a cry of anguish and ran to her. At first he tried to find a pulse and call to her. When he realized she was gone he cradled her lifeless body in his arms and openly wept. Higa felt rather embarrassed at such an unrestrained show of emotions. It was hard to believe that someone like _that _had beaten him. Well, it was the luck of the draw, if he'd had three single numbers he wouldn't have lost.

"Why did you kill her?!" A man with silver hair and a mask was standing over him threateningly. All the others were trying their best to console their master. The blonde one was hugging him even as he still held his dead sister, and whispering in his ear.

"I didn't mean to kill her," Higa replied calmly. "I was trying to escort her up to the roof when she tried to take my gun away."

"You wouldn't have needed a gun if you hadn't kidnapped her."

"It was a misunderstanding, her death was an accident. I'm sure a jury will see it that way."

"A jury?" Minato called out dully. "What does a jury have to do with this?" He carefully laid his sister back down. Her blood was splattered all over his once white shirt.

Higa looked at him calmly. "I am sorry for what happened to your sister, please accept my apologies. But it was never my intent to hurt her."

"Then why did you bring her here against her will?" Minato asked.

"I wanted number 107's power," he replied unembarrassed. "The only way to control him was with his ashikabi so naturally I had to bring her too."

"Why?" Minato asked bitterly. "They didn't want anything to do with you! Why couldn't you have just left them alone to live their own lives?"

"Don't be childish," he said easily. "Even if I had left them alone they still would have been drawn into battle sooner or later. It's just that I wanted that power on my side."

"Where is Shiina-kun?" Kusano demanded, tears in her eyes at what she'd already seen.

He pointed down the hall. "Third door on the right, you'll find it locked. He is probably unconscious now. That is what happens when a sekirei loses his master. Since his crest is gone M.B.I. should be along to pick him up soon."

"You seem very calm about all this," Homura noted darkly.

Higa shrugged disinterested. "It doesn't have anything more to do with me."

"You killed my sister; put all my sekirei at risk and you think that's it? You really think that you can just walk away from all this?" Minato asked.

"A jury will decide if I should be punished," he replied.

"The police and the courts have nothing to do with the ashikabi and sekirei; I know that for a fact." Minato replied. "They don't have any authority over you and you need to answer for what you did."

Higa looked at the man calmly. "And who should I answer to? Minaka? You?" He shook his head. "I'm not an ashikabi anymore."

"That doesn't mean you get to be absolved of all your sins." Minato closed his eyes and took a deep shuddering breath. "Tsukiumi, please kill him."

She started and was obviously caught off guard, but then a look of resolve settled over her face. "Yes Minato."

She took a step towards Higa as Homura and the others got out of her way.

Higa jumped to his feet looking desperately at their faces. "Wait a minute! I didn't mean to kill her."

"No," Minato answered. "You just meant to force her and Shiina to obey you like a couple of slaves. She died because of you no matter what you meant. She didn't get the benefit of the law, so neither do you."

Tsukiumi held out her hand and a ball of water formed. "If your death will give my husband a little peace I'm happy to kill you."

Higa opened his mouth but was not allowed any final words. The ball of water struck him in the chest like a cannon ball and sent him flying through the window and into the open air.

Looking down at his poor sister Minato spoke in a quiet but firm voice. "Homura."

"Yes Minato?"

"What we talked about before, I understand now. I want you to talk to Matsu and come up with a plan. We're killing Minaka and ending this insane game once and for all."


	24. Declaration of War

"Wonderful! Wonderful!" Minaka cried at the spectacle before him. The image was a bit shaky as the helicopters were buffeted by powerful winds and snow. Still one could see the battle raging between the two sides. The image was being broadcast by satellite to channels across the world. The whole world was watching!

"Are you really so happy about this?" Takami demanded. The short and bloody fight was being played out on a huge screen that took up a whole wall.

"Well of course! It is an epic moment! One all the world can enjoy. Surely the gods must be smiling!"

"I don't see anything wonderful in any of this," Takami scowled. "All I see are a bunch of sekirei hurting one another." She decided not to mention her worry over her daughter's safety or Minato's.

"That is their destiny," Minaka cried happily. "To battle one another until only one is left standing!"

"Bullshit!" Takami yelled. "This has nothing to do with destiny or gods or any of that! This is all about you wanting to behave like a five years old with a bunch of action figures. What the hell does all this fighting accomplish? At least in most wars there's some sort of objective, some kind of goal. But you're just having them slaughter each other to no purpose!"

"But there is a purpose," Minaka said with a laugh. "The Sekirei Plan will begin a new golden age for all the world! One the world truly understands the power of the sekirei and the other gifts from the gods it will be ready to change. The world will be a wholly different place, a nobler more heroic place! Surely for such grand ends a little bit of blood is not too much to ask?"

She shook her head. "You're insane."

"If you really believe that then why are you here? Why have you been at my side this entire time helping me to bring all this about?" As he watched the fight came to an abrupt end. All of Higa's sekirei had been eliminated or were hopelessly trapped. It had ended rather sooner than he'd hoped but it had been spectacular all the same. Minato and his sekirei entered the building and were gone from sight. M.B.I. helicopters began to land on the frozen roof top to begin collecting the eliminated sekirei.

"I'm here because I went along with you at the beginning," she answered quietly. "I believed you when you said we could make the world a better place and that you would be a better caretaker for them and the technology we found than the world's governments. Given how they reacted when they found out about them that might even be true in spite of everything you've done. You have always been brilliant, and your insanity wasn't so obvious back then. Since I helped create all this I couldn't just walk away. Besides…"

"Yes?" He smiled knowingly.

She looked at him with an expression of deep sadness and acceptance. "I suppose some part of me still loves you."

He laughed. "And yet you always tell me you hate me."

"I do," she told him. She was thinking about how much she hated him when she saw a glass window shatter and a neatly dressed man plummet to his death, his arms and legs waving frantically all the way down. Even after all the violence of just a moment before she gasped in shock. It was obvious that whatever had just happened wasn't part of a fight but pure murder. _Did my son just do that?!_

Minaka had no doubts. "It seems your son has become quite ruthless."

"Shut up!" She screamed at him. "I don't know what happened but I'm going to find out!" She took out her cell and was in the process of calling him when she received an incoming call. As soon as she saw it as from Minato she got a very, very bad feeling. "Hello?"

She listened in silence as Minato slowly broke the news to her that her child was dead. "No! Not Yukari! Not my little girl!" She wailed.

She and her son spoke for a couple moments and she promised him she would come to see him soon. She ended the call with numb fingers. _This is all my fault, _she thought as the bitter tears began to fall. _He was talking about sacrificing blood to create a new world just now. Is that what Yukari was? A sacrifice to this insanity? _She could have stopped this long ago, she'd been one of the very few in a position to stop it. In the end though she'd had the courage to argue with him and defy him from time to time, but never the courage to do the only thing that could have stopped this before it began. In a very real way she was to blame for her daughter's death.

"You might like to know that our daughter was shot and killed by Higa," she told him in a voice cracking with rage.

"I am sorry for your loss," he said to her.

"Is that all you have to say?!" She screamed at him.

"If I said anything else you and I would both know it was a lie," he told her. He turned back to the screen, more interested in that than in the daughter he had never even met. "Something is happening."

XXXXXXXXXX

Minato clicked off the phone, he had told his mom, now he was not sure what to do. Musubi had broken down the door to the room where Shiina was being held. He was unconscious and his crest was gone. She had then carried him out and placed him on a sofa with Kusano crying and trying to get him to wake up. Musubi was trying to comfort the little girl while the others were all looking ion sadly.

Minato was standing there still looking down at his poor sister. He felt Tsukiumi's gentle touch as she took his face and forced him to instead look at her. Even though she had tears of her own she was more concerned with his.

"You did nothing wrong Minato," she told him in a firm but comforting voice. "What happened here was not your fault; Higa is the one to blame. You did what you had to in order to help her. You could not have lived with yourself if you had done nothing. So banish any thoughts that you are to blame right now! Weep for her and mourn her but do not feel guilty." She carefully slid her arms around him and held him close. "Please don't blame yourself. I'm sure Yukari was happy to know her oniichan came here to rescue her."

He put his head on her shoulder and let out a sobbing breath. "How… how do you know exactly what to say?" He asked her.

"It's simple," she told him as she slowly and tenderly rubbed his back. "It's because I am your wife and love you more than anything in this world. A wife should know best how to comfort her husband."

He nodded silently and was glad she was here with him. Though he really cared for all his sekirei it was her he loved the most and was closest to. He wanted to be alone with her but there was no chance of that.

Four men with black uniforms and carry semi-automatic rifles entered the apartment. "What do you want?" Homura demanded. He deliberately stepped in their way.

"We're just here to collect number 107," one of the men said.

"No!" Kusano cried out. She ran over to Minato and grabbed onto his leg. "Please oniichan! Don't let them take him!"

"I'm very sorry," the man said. "But it's part of the Sekirei Plan. All sekirei who lose their crest must be removed from the field of play." He nodded to the other three and began to walk around Homura into the apartment.

Minato looked at the men and then looked at the weeping Kuchan. He then spoke one word that changed everything.

"No," he said. He regretfully pulled away from Tsukiumi and faced the four M.B.I. soldiers. "You're not taking him or any other sekirei today."

The sergeant in charge looked at him. "I am very sorry but the rules are…"

"This isn't a game and we're not following rules," he said in harsh unyielding voice. "This is real life, what happens to the sekirei you take away?"

Te sergeant and his men looked about nervously as the sekirei formed a loose circle around them. One of the men motioned as if to point his rifle at Minato. Musubi simply reached out and bent the barrel into a twist. "Please don't point that at Minato-sama," she said.

The sergeant eyed her and the other sekirei before returning hi attention to Minato. "I.., I don't know, my job is collection. They're brought back to M.B.I. Tower what happens after that isn't my concern."

"So anything at all might happen to them?" He shook his head. "It's not enough to leave them senseless and unconscious but they have to be spirited away to who knows what. Well that ends as of right now!"

"But… but you can't just ignore the rules of the Sekirei Plan!" The sergeant said.

"Minato," Homura spoke cautiously. "I don't disagree with you, but if we do this Minaka and M.B.I. will see it as open revolt."

"That's fine," Minato answered without hesitation. "Let's show him what we really think about his stupid game. I want you, Kazehana, and Akizu to get back up top and prevent any of the sekirei we fought from being taken."

"The M.B.I. soldiers won't like that," Homura said. "And some of their helicopters are armed gunships."

"You can't deal with them?" Minato asked worriedly.

"We can deal with them," Homura told him. "But not gently. The only safe way to handle them and protect all the unconscious sekirei would be to knock them out of the sky."

"Are you ready to go that far Minato?" Tsukiumi asked him. "We cannot protect all the sekirei without taking lives."

"So we either have to kill M.B.I. soldiers or let them take the other sekirei?" Minato asked. Homura and Tsukiumi both nodded. "The M.B.I. soldiers signed up for this and knew he risks, they at least got a choice." He nodded his head deciding. "Protect the sekirei, don't hurt anyone you don't have to, but use as much force as it takes." He looked over to the four soldiers in their midst. "Hand over your guns and sit down and you won't be hurt."

Not seeing any alternative the men quietly complied as Homura, Kazehana, and Akizu headed out.

XXXXXXXXXX

Minaka was watching the recovery teams begin collecting the sekirei on the roof when three of Minato's appeared. Instantly the soldiers already down on the roof were half frozen in blocks of ice or else had their weapons burst into flame.

As he watched Kazehana rose up into the air and the image was suddenly a wild jumble and screams from the men on board could be heard over the broadcast.

"Something is happening," Minaka said with a frown.

Takami didn't know what was happening so she continued to watch and hold judgment.

The image cleared a moment later as the helicopter returned to a stable hover, now a good bit further from the building. As she watched she saw six of the helicopters form up for an attack run and Kazehana who was now in the air about fifty feet above the roof.

As they both watched the helicopters closed and began to open fire with machine guns. Almost as soon as they did so six whirlwinds appeared grabbing violent hold of each gun ship and sending it twisting hopelessly towards the ground. The camera caught the sight of each one crashing and exploding in a fireball. There was no chance of anyone on board surviving.

The remaining helicopters kept their distance as Kazehana watched them.

"What is this?" Minaka demanded.

"I think you would call it a declaration of war." Takami said quietly.


	25. Twilight of the Gods

Following the destruction of the gunships the world broadcast was brought to an immediate halt. Enough had gone out though to make people and governments all over the world question just what was happening in Tokyo now.

M.B.I. made no further effort to interfere with Minato and his sekirei as they brought Shiina and the others with them back to the castle. Along with the sekirei they also brought Yukari's body as well as the unconscious ashikabi Kakizaki. As they went a couple M.B.I. helicopters were dispatched to keep an eye on them. After their return they remained a discreet distance to maintain surveillance.

No one knew exactly what happened to a sekirei when a crest vanished beyond the fact they would become unconscious. Even Matsu was totally in the dark. It was quite possible that the shock was lethal. So they all waited nervously to see what would happen to Shiina and the others.

When one of the enemy sekirei opened her eyes after a few hours they all let out a sigh of relief. Within eight hours all the sekirei had woken up and seemed perfectly fine. Except for the lone sekirei belonging to Kakizaki they all knew somehow that their ashikabi were dead. Some took it worse than others, a number of Higa's ashikabi seemed to be not too upset and were much more worried what would happened to them now.

Shiina was deeply crushed and went to the room he and Yukari had shared to be alone. Even Kusano was asked to leave him be.

Except for Shiina Minato and his sekirei met with all the other sekirei to explain to them what had happened and what their options were.

"You're free to go if you want," Minato told them. "We're not enemies anymore and I don't plan to try and force any of you to serve me." He looked directly at Kakizaki. "Though some of you had a hand in what happened I can't blame you if you were simply being loyal to your ashikabi or to your boss. You can simply go, but I should warn you that M.B.I. may very well try to capture you since all of you lost your crests."

One girl made her decision immediately. She was Toyotama; she had been beaten by Musubi and lost her crest that way. She was holding firmly to Kakizaki's arm and looked frightened. "I want to stay with my ashikabi!"

Kakizaki nodded and placed a hand on her shoulder that appeared to comfort her some.

Minato shrugged. He didn't like the man very much but he would not punish him for following orders if he was not going to punish Higa's sekirei for doing the same. "That's fine; you can both go in peace."

"Actually Minato-san," Kakizaki spoke up in a calm and certain way. "I would like to pledge myself and my sekirei to your service. I will be a loyal subordinate to you just as I was to Higa-san."

Minato frowned at him. "You don't have any shame at all do you?"

The man simply shrugged. "I'm a practical man; I understand I have only one sekirei. The odds of our surviving long are almost zero. The best chance is to ally myself with a stronger ashikabi. I offer you not only my services but the services of my sekirei, number sixty two, Toyotama."

Toyotama immediately bowed her head acknowledging she would follow whatever path her ashikabi chose. Even without the connection they had previously shared she still loved him and wanted to stay with him no matter what.

Had it only been Kakizaki he would have thrown him out, but he didn't want to do that to his sekirei as well. "Fine you can both stay."

"Well we're not staying!" The cute little Oriha announce in a melodic voice. "No way are we staying with the guy who killed Higa-san!" She turned to her friend. "Right Katsuragi?"

The girl in the black and yellow track suit looked very uncomfortable as she slowly shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I'm staying."

"What?!" Oriha shouted in outrage. "But he killed our master!"

"Oh grow up Oriha!" A girl in black clothes with a couple empty sword scabbards said. "He did what he had to just like Higa always did."

"Ichiya how can you say that?" Oriha cried.

"It's true! Any way he just used us like a general commanding his soldiers," she sounded bitter. "It's not like he ever loved us or really cared about us. He's gone now so we don't owe him anything more."

"We owe him not helping his killer!"

"Oh grow up," Ichiya repeated. "I've talked to some of his sekirei and they all really love him and say he cares about them. I think Minato would make a better ashikabi."

"Hold on!" Tsukiumi spoke up quickly. "You can stay here if you like but you _cannot _become his sekirei!"

"Why not?" Katsuragi asked.

"Because a sekirei can only be winged once and you have already sworn to Higa!"

Akizu spoke up. "I originally became the sekirei of Mikogami before I became Minato's. And since I was a broken sekirei I wasn't winged either time but still thought of myself as their sekirei and each of them as my ashikabi. I don't see why they couldn't swear to serve Minato even if he can't wing them."

Tsukiumi looked horrified.

"In that case, number fifty eight, Ichiya offers to become your sekirei."

One by one most of the others did the same.

Oriha was the only one to refuse and wound up leaving.

The remaining sekirei formed a line and began walking towards Minato. Tsukiumi jumped ahead of them waving her arms furiously. "Wait! As his legal wife I refuse to let you kiss him!"

"Isn't that a sekirei's right?" Akizu asked.

"You stay out of this!" Tsukiumi shouted. "They can't be winged so there's no real reason to kiss him!"

"Even if we can't be winged we want to perform the ceremony and proclaim our allegiance properly!" Ichiya argued.

The others nodded their heads.

"Ah such love for their new ashikabi," Kazehana said happily and began to dance about. "It's a beautiful thing!"

"Musubi thinks you will be happy with Minato-sama for an ashikabi!"

"We'll have to work out a schedule," Akizu said seriously. "Master will be busy having to satisfy so many sekirei."

"Gak!" Tsukiumi choked out. "Minato say something!"

Looking worried he rubbed the back of his head. "Heh, well I'll do my best."

"That's not what I wanted you to say!" Tsukiumi cried desperately.

In the end she had to watch as seven new sekirei pledged themselves to him with a kiss.

XXXXXXXXXX

A little before midnight a limousine arrived at the castle gate. Takami stepped out and entered. She was surprised to find Minato and Tsukiumi waiting for him on the small foot bridge.

She was completely surprised at the hard look on his face and the coldness in his eyes. The last time she had seen him had been more than two years ago when he had originally left for Tokyo. He had been a confused weak willed kid back then, still not yet and adult. Someone who was easy to intimidate and didn't yet have a strong sense of self. She child have seen him on many occasions over the past two years, but somehow it had never been a high enough priority to take her away from her work.

She suddenly wished she had made the time to see him before this. Her sweet little boy was gone now. In his place was a man, and she thought he might be a very strong man. It made her feel at once very happy and very sad.

"Are you here for yourself mom, or are you here for M.B.I.?" Minato asked her in a harsh voice.

"Who told you?" She asked as she stepped onto the bridge.

"Homura and Kazehana, they felt I needed to know since I decided to revolt against M.B.I." he told her. "I would have really liked to have known about this sooner, but I appreciate them trusting me with it now at least."

"Well, I suppose I can't really fault them for telling you," she took out a cigarette and lit it. "I guess I should just be glad they kept quiet as long as they did." She inhaled and looked at her son closely. "Why did you do it?"

"Because I finally realized the Sekirei Plan was insane and that there was no reason at all for it. I just decided I wouldn't allow any more innocent people to suffer."

"Just like that?" She asked with a grin.

"I suppose Yukari dying might have had something to do with it," he told her with a smoldering anger. "Did you know mom? When I went to Minaka about this did you know Yukari had been kidnapped?"

She was startled by his rage. She had never really seen him become angry before. Even when he was being bullied he would never show any real resentment. Yes, her son had definitely grown up. "Yes," she answered him. "I knew."

"And you did nothing."

She nodded her head. "That's right son, I did nothing. God knows I regret that now. If I'd known what was going to happen I swear I'd have made him do _something _one way of the other. I honestly never really thought she would be hurt."

"Your own daughter was kidnapped and you did nothing," he looked away from her and out at the water. "What do you want mom?"

She glanced at Tsukiumi. "Could we talk alone?"

"Whatever you want to say to me can be said in front of my wife."

Tsukiumi crossed her arms and glared at the woman. "We all agreed I should be here in case you tried to hurt him or even kill him."

She gasped. "You think I would do something like that to my own son?"

Tsukiumi shrugged. "Homura and Kazehana both seem to know you pretty well, and they didn't seem sure what you might do."

_Do they really think me such a heartless bitch that I could ever do something like that? Well… Kazehana might, but Homura too? _ "Minato you know your mother would never do that don't you?"

"I'm not sure what I know about you mom," he said still looking at the water. "Until just a few hours ago I thought you worked for a pharmaceutical company."

She gave a hollow grin. "Well technically speaking I do, that's what M.B.I. originally started out as."

Now he turned an angry face to her. "Don't make jokes about this! You've been lying to me my whole life!"

"Son it's not like I could have told you back then! What should I have said? Hey kids, guess what I did today. I spent the whole day checking the DNA of an alien who we have stashed away on this secret island. Do you really think I could have told you the truth then?"

"What about after Yukari and I both became ashikabi then?" He demanded. "When we were dragged into the Sekirei plan against our will. You couldn't have told us something then?"

"I thought I was protecting you by stating out of it."

"That's a lie!" He screamed. "You could have helped us! Advised us! You stayed out of it because that's what was best for you!" he stared at her accusingly.

"Minato…"

"Why are you here mom? Are you really here because you're worried about me? Or is it something else?"

She finished her cigarette. She tossed the but down and crushed it beneath her heel. "What are your intentions Minato?"

"I'd rather not tell you," he said.

"In that case I'm authorized to give you a message direct from Minaka. He wants you to know that your actions put you in open revolt against him and the Sekirei Plan. He is however willing to show some restraint given the emotional events that took place."

"You mean Yukari being kidnapped and then murdered?"

She continued trying not to react to his bitterness and anger. "That's right. He states that if you hand over the unwinged sekirei he will forgive your actions and pretend they never happened. If you persist however he will have no alternative but to bring you down with all the force available to him. He is willing to give you twenty four hours to consider this offer, until midnight tomorrow. After that you can consider yourself to be at war with M.B.I." She waited a moment. "So do you have a reply?"

"Tell him I'll think about it."

She grinned. "You've grown up some, but you're still not a very good liar."

He shrugged. "Obviously I didn't inherit the trait from you."

She winced; he'd scored a clean hit.

"You should go home now mom, I doubt this place is too safe. M.B.I. probably has every weapon it has aimed here." He turned to leave.

"Son I'd like to talk to you a little more," she called.

"You had plenty of chances to talk to me mom," he said and continued to walk away.

Tsukiumi remained where she was. "I am very glad my husband is nothing like you."

Takami laughed dryly as she turned to go. "Yeah, it's a mystery to me where his personality comes from. It's definitely not from me or his father."

XXXXXXXXXX

He met with Homura and Kazehana. "I need you to bring Matsu here," he told them. "I need her to not only go over the plan with us but to play a special role." He looked at Kazehana. "Are you all right with this? I know your feelings for him. If you don't want to take part I'll respect that."

She shook her head. "I'm your sekirei and my heart belongs only to you my love. I… I just ask you not to request me to actually hurt him. Otherwise I'm fine to fight against him."

"No problem," he said. He was sure Homura would be more than happy to do that himself. "We need to get everything ready. At dawn we hit M.B.I. Tower and end this once and for all."

XXXXXXXXXX

**Author's Notes: **Next chapter will be the conclusion. There may be one additional chapter after that as an epilogue.


	26. End of the Sekirei Plan

The night sky was just beginning to lighten, changing from pitch black to a deep azure. Before long it would be dawn. He was back out on the foot bridge looking down into the water. It was still too dark to see the carp what swam in the private pond. He was really tired. He had tried to get some rest but it had been impossible. The idea of what was going to happen wouldn't leave his head.

People were going to die soon. People who were alive right now wouldn't be within a couple of hours. And it would be because of _him, _his choices were going to cost lives. He didn't know how many, or if some of them would be the people he cared for. But there would be no avoiding it.

How had all of this happened? Hadn't he been a ronnin just a little while ago? His biggest worry had been trying to decide whether or not to try for the same school again or return home. Now he was making life and death decisions that would have an effect on the whole _world. _How did he get here?

And as if fate were listening he sensed the answer landing silently behind him.

"Tsukiumi," he said without bothering to turn around.

He felt the arms that could bend steel bars wrap around his chest and give him a gentle hug. He felt her pressing herself into his back and her head resting comfortably on his shoulder.

It always felt good when she was with him.

"Minato," she said softly. "You should have gotten some sleep, you must be exhausted."

He nodded slightly. "I'll be fine. I couldn't really sleep much with everything that's coming. I'll sleep tonight, if I survive of course."

"None of that!" She said sharply. "You will definitely, definitely survive Minato."

He turned his head to look into her blue eyes. Those eyes that always reminded him of the deep sea. "You can't be sure of that." He told her calmly.

She took on a stubborn look. "I am sure! I will not allow anything else! You are going to live a good long life and I am going to spend every single day of it at your side. Never forget that no matter how many sekirei you have you only have one single wife. We are going to spend a long time together and that is final! So get any other thoughts out of your head."

He had come to knew her very well in their short time together. He knew that underneath that tough exterior she was worried for him. She never ever thought to worry about herself; it was only for him that she ever had fears.

He smiled for her hoping it set her mind at ease. "I'm sure you're right, I'm sure I'll be fine."

"Obviously," she said with a vigorous nod.

"I love you," he said softly.

"And I love you," she answered.

They shared a long slow kiss. Her wings of light appeared throwing back the darkness.

XXXXXXXXXX

As the sun crossed the horizon they were just going over the final plans when one of Minato's new sekirei told him he had visitors.

"Yo," Seo greeted him with a lazy wave.

Hikari and Hibiki were with him their usual S&M gear. "Seo you lazy bum!" Hikari barked at him. "Why does he live in a castle while we're about to end up on the street?"

"Hikari why bother?" Hibiki said listlessly. "You know he's going to still be worthless no matter how much you yell at him."

"Seo! What are you doing here? I haven't seen you since the night we rescued Ku-chan!"

"Heh, well Miya gave me a call early this morning and said you might want some help." He looked around at the many faces looking back at him. "Not that you seem shorthanded, but if you're trying to bring down M.B.I. every little bit helps right?"

"Wait! Miya knows what we're going to do?"

Seo laughed. "Kid, she knows _everything _that touches her residents or her Inn. If it involves Matsu and Homura she knows about it."

"Well, I guess there's no helping it then. We're going to attack M.B.I. you sure you want to be a part of that?"

"Yeah kid," Seo said with a hard smile. "I got some issues with Minaka you might say, I'd definitely want to see him get what's been due him."

"Well that would be great; I would really like your help and your sekirei's help."

"Glad to hear that kid, now… about my fee." He held his hand out and began to rub his index finger against his thumb.

"You want me to pay you?!"

"Well yeah, don't you think my trouble, not to mention my risking our lives deserves a little something?"

"No," Minato said flatly. It wasn't that he didn't have access to money. He just didn't want to fight beside people who were only in it for money.

"What about letting us stay here and feeding us instead?" Hikari pleaded.

"We're about to get thrown out on the street!" Hibiki cried.

"**Please save us from our worthless ashikabi!**" They both wailed at once.

Seeing they were both on the verge of tears he quickly nodded. "Okay, sure, you can live here and eat for free."

Seo rubbed his hands together. "That seems like a fair price for our services."

"I'm only doing it out of pity," Minato told him.

"So?" Seo answered with a smirk.

He immediately cried out as lightning struck him.

XXXXXXXXXX

As before when he'd wanted to rescue his sister he'd given each sekirei the choice of whether or not to come. Every sekirei pledged to him, old and new replied with an affirmative. Kakizaki answered that Toyotama and he would go. Seo and his sekirei were in the kitchen eating.

Shiina had stated quietly that he wanted to fight, but that he would not be anyone else's sekirei. He would always belong to Yukari.

XXXXXXXXXX

Four helicopters hung in the air a safe distance from the castle. The moment they spotted any kind of movement they would alert M.B.I. During the night Homura and Kazehana had fetched Matsu from Izumo Inn. It was now time.

He kissed each of him winged sekirei; with Matsu deliberately save for last.

"Are you sure this will work?" He asked her.

She removed her glasses and looked excited. "Ku, ku, ku I calculate it will, but there is only one way to find out for sure." She closed her eyes and puffed up her lips.

Sighing Minato gave her a kiss.

Matsu's wings of light materialized as she felt heat and massive energy fill her being. She could now use her norito for the very first time.

"Thoughts of my mind, bend to the service of my ashikabi."

Closing her eyes had reached out with her mind tot eh machines all around her. Her natural ability was to be able to 'see' through them and gather any information they held. But that was all she could do, she needed to use computers and hack in like a human might in order to gain any control over them. M.B.I. countermeasures had made that exceedingly difficult.

Now though with Minato's kiss she felt her old limits fall away. She had the power to not only spy but to control as well. "It worked Mina-tan," she announced. "I have full control of M.B.I.'s weapon's satellite as well as their communication system."

She opened her eyes to look at him while carefully maintaining control. "Are you _sure _you don't want me to just target M.B.I. Tower with their own lazer? I can destroy the entire building with one shot."

"No, I don't want to take any more lives than necessary." Minato answered. "It's not just an office building but a residence too. Who knows how many people are in there."

"Three thousand four hundred and twelve," Matsu replied with certainty.

"Minato maybe you should let her. What you have in mind will probably cost just as many lives," Homura argued.

"I know," Minato replied. "But at least those people are soldiers who signed up to fight. Besides, even if I'm angry as hell with my mom that doesn't mean I want to kill her. I want Minaka dead; I don't want to kill anyone else unless it's necessary."

"Shall I proceed with the plan then Mina-tan?" Matsu asked.

He nodded. "Yeah, let's start."

XXXXXXXXXX

Out of a clear blue morning sky a fiery orange line appeared. A moment later the echo of an explosion could be heard as flames and smoke began to rise out of the north. The beam appeared again and again followed by more explosions and more flame and smoke. The military bases M.B.I. had set up along the border of Tokyo to seal the city were being ruthlessly annihilated. They would provide no help in the coming battle.

Throughout the city people were desperately trying to finds out what was going on. But they soon found that all phone lines, internet, television, and radio signals were dead. All communications in Tokyo were out of service thanks to Matsu.

"This is my limit Mina-tan," she told him. "Controlling the satellite in space and shutting down communications. I wish your little Matsu could do more."

"Don't worry Matsu, it's plenty."

XXXXXXXXXX

As a small army of sekirei left the castle heading straight for M.B.I. the four helicopters on station tried desperately to call out a warning only to find their radios filled with static.

As they tried to fly away to deliver the message themselves they were blown up by bolts of lightning.

XXXXXXXXXX

From the large window of his office Minaka calmly looked out at the explosions that were following one after another.

XXXXXXXXXX

A mile before reaching their destination Minato signaled for his people to halt. Seventeen sekirei and three ashikabi stopped on top of a brick warehouse surrounding a group of just three opposing sekirei.

"My, my but you really are as passionate as I thought," Karasuba said with her usual playful grin. "This is starting out to be a really fun day." She already had her sword out and it was resting on her shoulder.

Behind her Haihane and Benitsubasa looked more than eager to fight regardless of the difference in numbers.

Setting Minato down Tsukiumi deliberately stood between him and the Disciplinary Squad. "This is very bad," Tsukiumi told him quietly. "They have all been charged and use their noritos."

Minato nodded, understanding how serious this was. He turned to Homura. "Are they really that dangerous? We have four single numbers."

"Indigo and crimson are both strong but no threat against all of us. But the black sekirei is the second strongest of us all, I'm not sure if all of us together would be a match for her."

"So we really do have to follow Matsu's plan for this?"

Homura nodded. "Kazehana and I will continue on to M.B.I. while the rest of you fight them. Even if you can't win you can at least keep her busy long enough for us to accomplish the goal."

"You should get out of here Minato," Tsukiumi said. "I and all the others will deal with this, but you should go where it's safe."

"No," he said. "There's no way I could ever run away after putting all of you in this kind of danger."

"This is no time to worry about looking like a man," Tsukiumi told him with annoyance. "I will not be able to fight at my best if I have to worry about your safety."

"Tsukiumi I can't…"

"Excuse me Karasuba-chan?"

Minato and the others stopped to look around and saw Musubi had walked up to Karasuba and was taking to her!

Karasuba eyed the younger sekirei in a friendly way. "Yes Mu-chan?"

"Could you and the others get out of our way please?"

Benitsubasa gave an angry shout. "Are you trying to be funny?!" She took an angry step forward but settled down at a motion from Karasuba.

"Mu-chan, Minaka wants us to kill all of you," Karasuba told her pleasantly. "So I don't think we'll be able to do that."

"But what about our promise to be the last two and to fight each other?" Musubi asked.

Smiling she reached out and patted the top of her head. "Sorry Mu-chan, I was really looking forward to it. But this is too much fun for me to pass up. If I can I'll spare you though and we can fight again another day. But I'm afraid I'll have to kill everyone else today. Hmmm, well I'll probably spare your ashikabi too, I want you to remain winged and I kind of like him."

"You will not kill anyone today Karasuba," a firm voice called out.

They turned around to see a woman with purple hair standing on the edge of the building. Unlike usual she was dressed in a white and brown uniform with a sekirei crest printed on it. In her hands was a katana. "I will be your opponent today."

"Huh? Miya?" Minato gasped. "What is she doing here?"

"Miya!" Homura called out.

She looked at him and wagged a single finger. "Kagari I am disappointed in you. You should know that if you are in trouble you can always come to me for help. Now would all of you please go? I will deal with this evil woman as I should have a long time ago."

"You want to fight her alone?" Minato stared at her. "Do you have any idea how dangerous she is?"

Karasuba laughed. "I **knew **this would be a fun day! I've been looking forward to this number one."

Minato, Tsukiumi, Musubi, Benitsubasa, Haihane, and just about everyone else except for Homura, Kazehana, and Akizu gasped at the revelation.

Karasuba looked at her two teammates. "Go back to the Tower and do your fighting there. I'll fight her alone!" The indigo and crimson sekirei paled and nodded. They could both sense her bloodlust rising and quickly fled the scene.

"Minato-san," Miya called out politely. "Please take everyone and go. I would hate for anyone to be hurt by mistake."

"But I can't…"

Homura grabbed his arm. "We have to go! We're not on their level! If we stay we'll just get needlessly killed!"

Minato could see how serious he was.

"Please don't worry about me Minato-san," Miya said soothingly. "Please worry about your sekirei; they are the ones you need to watch over. Now please go before I have to scold you."

Feeling like a coward he nodded and called for everyone to leave. Tsukiumi grabbed hold of him and they were soon gone.

"Alone at last!" Karasuba laughed. Her whole body was shaking with excitement.

By comparison Miya was perfectly still, her sword ready in both hands. "This is the day I settle all old accounts."

"That's just fine with me!" She slashed with her sword unleashing her energy.

Miya slashed and sent out a counter attack.

The two energy waves met with a loud boom! The four story brick warehouse shook apart and in just seconds was reduced to rubble.

"This is fun!!" Karasuba cried out joyously and swung her sword several more times in the space of a few seconds.

Miya countered. Each time one of their strikes met head ion there was a loud boom and the entire area began to shake.

One attack slipped past and Miya was forced to leap out of the way. It struck an office building slicing it with a neat vertical slash '**/**'. The top two thirds of it slid down and crashed into the street as the people inside could be heard screaming.

Miya was deeply sorry for the innocent lives this battle would claim. That was one reason she had held off fighting for so long. But now even if their fight laid waste to most of this city there was no choice. Slashing down through the air she unleashed a massive attack of her own.

XXXXXXXXXX

Minato could feel the earth shaking. Looking back over Tsukiumi's shoulder he saw a building cut like it was a piece of cheese and falling over.

"My God," he whispered. Homura hadn't been joking about another level.

"Head's up this is it!" Homura shouted.

Up ahead was M.B.I. Tower. The air above it was choked with helicopters buzzing about like angry wasps. The streets surrounding the Tower had over a hundred tanks and wheeled vehicles. As they were still approaching he heard the 'wooshes' and saw the smoke trails of rockets being fired at them. All at once the air around them was filled with dust and smoke as the rockets were deflected and blown off course to explode into nearby buildings.

Some of the sekirei headed down to the ground to start dealing with the tanks and ground troops. Others flew to take on the helicopters. He saw Musubi, Homura, Akizu and Ichiya taking on the two remaining Disciplinary Squad members. Lightning crashed down blowing up rocket launchers as well as tanks. Though he had led them all here the battle was taking on a life of its own.

XXXXXXXXXX

From his office window Minaka watched the battle raging outside his home. He knew of course how it would end. Only sekirei would fight sekirei. Just as with the invasion of Kamikura Island his forces were doomed to annihilation no matter how well they fought.

But unlike that army he did have one ultimate trump card.

"So, it seems the legend of Ragnarök was the one the gods were aiming for all along." He took out a small controller that fit neatly in the palm of his hand. There was a single red button on it.

"Are you really going to do it?" Takami asked him calmly. "If you detonate the anti matter bomb you'll vaporize everything for a twenty mile radius. Tokyo will vanish, there won't even be ruins."

Minaka smiled. "I wanted to give the world new legends and I will. The gods brought their gifts down from the heavens and rather than accept these gifts men chose instead to rebel against the will of the gods. This **is **a fitting punishment don't you think?"

"There are five million people in Tokyo who had nothing to do with this. What about them?"

Minaka shrugged. "The gods always demand sacrifices."

Shaking her head Takami reached into her lab coat and drew out a snub nosed .38. "I am really sick and tired of hearing about gods and legends and all that other crap. All this was of your own making. And now that it's ending you'd rather make all of Tokyo go out in a blaze of glory with you than just accept your just punishment for your crime. Damn it Minaka this is your last chance to do the right thing. You have to die but everyone else doesn't. Put the controller down and try to face the end like a man."

He smiled at her. "You were always at my side from the beginning to the end. I love you Takami." His thumb stabbed down onto the red button with a tiny, 'click.'

But nothing happened.

She looked at him sadly. "I was the one who installed the anti matter bomb remember. Did you really think I would make it functional?" She shut her eyes and steadied herself. "I love you too."

She opened her eyes and pulled the trigger.

XXXXXXXXXX

On that day Hiroto Minaka died, along with over 200,000 soldiers and civilians in the pitched battle that marked the end of the Sekirei Plan and that began a new age for mankind and the race of aliens called sekirei.

XXXXXXXXXX

**Author's Notes:** There will be an epilogue.


	27. Epilogue

**Five Years Later**

Minato was feeling a bit anxious as the time approached.

Homura noticed it and grinned. "Don't tell me you're actually nervous?"

"Heh, maybe just a little," Minato admitted.

Homura gave him a wry look. "What are you afraid of that she's going to say no?"

Minato chuckled. "I don't suppose that's very likely. I guess I'm worried it won't go perfectly."

"Well if it doesn't you could hardly be to blame. I mean _five years _of planning?" Homura shook his head. "Honestly I don't get why it's so important to her. I mean the two of you are already as committed as possible."

"You mean even with all the other women I'm required to have sex with?" Minato asked dryly.

He shrugged. "Occupational hazard of being an ashikabi."

Minato looked out at some of the faces seated in the little folding chairs that had been set up on the lawn. Many of his sekirei were seated and looking on. Many of the children were seated as well kicking up their heels or quietly asleep.

Ichiya noticed him looking and waved at him, their son Kento waved too.

He had a grand total of fourteen sekirei, thirteen of whom were female and all of whom had given birth to at least one child. He currently had a total of twenty children, seven boys and thirteen girls ages running from newborn to four. He supposed that at some point he would have to seriously think about _expanding _the castle to build more rooms.

His day to day life consisted of making sure all his wives and children were all right and happy. It was a good thing money was not an issue. After spending so much time worrying about getting into college and eventually getting a good job he had wound up never going to university or getting a career. But he was just fine with that. What mattered most to him was having his large family be happy.

XXXXXXXXXX

After the battle of Tokyo and the devastation of much of the city there had been a very loud debate as to what to do with the sekirei. In the end it had been decided to make them citizens and to give them the same rights and responsibilities as ordinary Japanese citizens. Many people had screamed that they would go crazy fighting battles all over the country causing the same destruction as in Tokyo.

Of course that hadn't happened. With the artificial pressure of the Sekirei Plan eliminated most quickly settle down to peaceful ordinary lives. They did not turn out to be exceptionally violent or prone to fighting (much to Tsukiumi's chagrin.) There were a few exceptions, but these were isolated incidents that were dealt with by the Japanese Ministry of Alien Affairs and Law Enforcement. Which was a fancy name for what was essentially a new version of the Disciplinary Squad made up of Homura, Musubi, and Shiina who were charged with catching those few sekirei who committed crimes.

The sekirei who had been captured after losing their crests had been returned to Kamikura Island and placed back into suspended animation. They had all been freed and released. Some returned to their ashikabi, while others decided to find a new life.

Minato glanced to where Uzume sat. She was one of the ones who chose to try life without an ashikabi (Shiina was another.) She had returned to Izumo Inn after her release and was still living there as were Matsu and Homura.

Sitting beside Uzume was Miya. Her hands were neatly folded on her lap and she was chatting pleasantly with Uzume. Looking at her it was hard to believe that she was one of the two sekirei who had leveled most of downtown Tokyo while taking so many innocent lives. In the end Miya had left Karasuba gutted and lifeless at the base of a rubble pile that had been a whole city block.

"You know, your mother wanted to be here," Homura mentioned off handedly.

"No," Minato answered automatically.

Following the battle Minato and his sekirei had found her sitting in Minaka's office calmly smoking a cigarette. Minaka was still in his chair with five bullet holes in him. That had been enough to win back Homura's respect but not her son's. For him it was too little too late, he was not sure he would ever forgive her for doing nothing when Yukari needed her.

"If you would just make peace with her you could be on the board of directors of M.B.I." Homura pointed out.

Given all the destruction and chaos following Minaka's death the police had decided not to investigate the matter or any other crimes related to M.B.I., sekirei, or ashikabi. Therefore when Minaka's will became known there was no reason for his mom not to inherit controlling stock in M.B.I. and succeed him as its CEO and President.

She had put an end to Minaka's mad schemes while still working closely with many sekirei like Benitsubasa and Haihane to continue research on the sekirei race and DNA. Not everything had changed with Minaka's death. M.B.I. continued to give unlimited funds to the sekirei and continued to have its own private army. They also kept control of the spaceship on Kamikura and its many secrets. She was slowly revealing some of those hidden technologies to the world including some miracle drugs and cures. What more might be unseen no one knew.

She had offered to make him a Vice President and Board member and take him to the island to reveal its secrets to him. All he had to do was accept her invitation.

"There's nothing she has that I want," Minato said.

Homura looked unhappy but knew there was no point arguing.

A few minutes later the wedding march began.

All eyes turned to the head of the aisle. First came the flower children, the children he'd had with his winged sekirei. Leading them was an adorable four year old girl with long blonde hair and sea deep blue eyes. Her name was Tsuki, his daughter with Tsukiumi. Seeing her father smiling at her she waved to him excitedly and he waved back.

She was just part of the first generation of a brand new race being born throughout Japan. No one knew yet what they would be called or what role they would play in the world's future. They were children with one sekirei and one human parent. Minato believed they were the world's future and the best thing that had come out of Minaka's madness.

After the children had spread out the flower petals came the bride's maids, Musubi, Kazehana, Akizu, Kusano, and Matsu. All of them wearing blue bride's maid dresses and all of them looking very pleased.

And at the very end came his beloved Tsukiumi. She was in a long flowing white wedding gown with a veil and a bouquet of roses. When he had first winged her she had been adamant that a wedding ceremony was not required to make her his wife, that the winging was enough. But as with the wedding rings, even if it was not necessary she still wanted it. She had spent five full years planning this day and it was at last here.

When she reached the end of the aisle she was standing before him looking nervous. He knew that what had her worried was the thought of having to kiss in front of so many people. She could be very scary at times and hard to deal with, but she could also be sweet and gentle and the most loving person on earth.

He reached out and took one of her hands into his. That wasn't part of the ceremony but just felt right. He saw her blush beneath her veil and felt his heart race just a little. Nothing about their lives could really be considered normal, but his love for her seemed like the most natural and perfect thing there could ever be.

"I love you Tsukiumi," he whispered before the priest began.

"And I love you husband," she whispered back with a gentle smile that was only for him.

**THE END**


End file.
